NASA - Dryden Flight Research Center

Dryden News

NASA ER-2 Conducting Lidar Sensor Demonstration Flights

ER-2 in flight over snow covered mountains

One of NASA’s ER-2 high-altitude Earth science aircraft banks away from the photo chase plane during a flight over a southern Sierra Nevada snowscape. NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center operates two of the Lockheed-built aircraft on a wide variety of environmental science, atmospheric sampling and satellite data verification missions. The ER-2 is currently conducting the Tropospheric Wind Lidar Experiment or Twilite mission. (NASA photo / Carla Thomas)

› View Status Report

News and Features

NASA’s NF-15B Research Aircraft Flies Final Mission

With its afterburners roaring, NASA research pilot Jim Smolka pulls NASA's highly modified NF-15B research aircraft into a steep climb after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base on its final flight.
Alternative Jet Fuels Put to the Test at NASA Dryden

NASA and 11 other research groups are testing two non-petroleum-based jet fuels in the pursuit of alternative fuels.
Lancets Flights Probe Supersonic Shockwaves

NASA is concluding a series of flight tests to measure shock waves generated by an F-15 jet, in an effort to validate computer models that could be used in designing quieter supersonic aircraft.
NASA Debuts Global Hawk Autonomous Aircraft for Earth Science

NASA and Northrop Grumman Corporation have unveiled the first Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system to be used for environmental science research, heralding a new application for the world’s first fully autonomous high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft.
NASA Dryden Marked Major Milestones in 2008

NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center supported projects and efforts across NASA's four mission areas during 2008.

› Archives

Dryden Spotlight

50th Anniversary X-Press

Dryden has made many significant contributions to NASA's mission since the agency's inception five decades ago. The 50th anniversary issue of the X-Press profiles 61 employees and 28 current and past projects.

› Read 50th Anniversary X-Press
› View Special Photo Edition
STS-119
Mission Update

STS-119 is the 28th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Discovery will carry the S6 truss segment as well as a new station crew member to the orbital outpost.
Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle

Time-lapse video of the Orion Abort Flight Test Demonstrator undergoing weight, balance and center of gravity tests at NASA Dryden.
› View This Video
SOFIA

NASA is developing the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy - or SOFIA - as a world-class airborne observatory that will complement the Hubble, Spitzer, Herschel and James Webb space telescopes and major Earth-based telescopes.
Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility

Our new aircraft operations facility in Palmdale offers the expanded space needed to manage Dryden's airborne science missions and research platforms.
Research Update

Current flight research projects and programs being flown at Dryden Flight Research Center.
This Week in Dryden's History

A collection of historical facts and events from Dryden's last 50 years.