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NASA Altair

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  • NASA Altair

    A modded Predator B set up to provide IR imaging for the US Forestry Service. Altair was used during the recent Esperanza wildfire, which was intentionally set.

    Altair



    IR images

    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    OT: That is THE wierdest-looking flying machine I have ever seen!
    FT.

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    • #3
      You want weird?

      Network Solutions - Original domain name registration and reservation services with variety of internet-related business offerings. Quick, dependable and reliable.


      Video of testbed....

      Patent: http://www.markwilson.com/ioncraft/Patent/patent.html

      Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 27 November 2006, 16:00.
      Dr. Mordrid
      ----------------------------
      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

      Comment


      • #4
        How does it land? (NASA Altair) is it big?
        ______________________________
        Nothing is impossible, some things are just unlikely.

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        • #5
          The Altair and MQ-9A Predator B Reaper's have really long landing gear to accommodate belly payloads & wing mounted weapons. Both as a whole are larger than the original RQ-1 Predator. Below is the Reaper with the gear down;



          Specs for Altair/MQ-9A Predator B Reaper;

          Basics: Low-wing monoplane with narrow fuselage and high aspect-ratio wing, large V-shaped tail with ventral fin, rear-mounted turboprop or turbofan engine. Enlarged fuselage nose to accommodate various payloads. Retractable tricycle landing gear. Dual-redundant flight controls.

          Weapons: Predator B — AGM-114 Hellfire II missile, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), GBU-12 laser-guided bomb, GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).

          Nasty for a robot, 'eh?

          Wingspan: Predator B 001/002 — 64 feet; Altair — 86 feet (extensions).
          Length: 34 feet.
          Gross weight: Predator B — 6,400 lbs; Altair — 7,000 lbs.
          Propulsion: Allied-Signal TPE-331-10T turboprop

          For comparison here are the basics for the F-16 Falcon;

          Length: 49 feet, 5 inches
          Wingspan: 32 feet, 8 inches
          Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 28 November 2006, 14:27.
          Dr. Mordrid
          ----------------------------
          An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

          I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

          Comment

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