Lifting Body Flight Tests and Analysis

Lifting entry vehicles offer significant potential in terms of performance and economy, as a result of reusability, for a variety of future space missions. In flight tests at the NASA Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, three vehicles--the M2-F2 (recently redesignated M2-F3), HL-10, and X-24A--are being used to investigate handling qualities and subsonic-transonic aerodynamics of lifting body vehicles.

Flight results from approximately 50 flights of the vehicles indicate that a pilot can control, maneuver, flare, and land this class of vehicle. These flights have also provided valuable data on the aerodynamic behavior of the vehicles.