Northrop-built NASA Global Hawk aircraft to support HS3 missions

Northrop Grumman has developed unmanned NASA Global Hawks aimed to support Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) missions.

Currently deployed to the US East coast, the unmanned vehicle is being controlled from two locations, from ground stations at both Edwards Air Force Base and NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, US.

Environmental scientists use NASA Global Hawks for HS3 mission, intended to study the processes of hurricane formation and intensity change in the Atlantic Ocean as well as deepen understanding of how hurricanes form and what processes control their intensity.

The unmanned vehicle can endure up to 31hrs, while flying at an altitude of 65,000ft.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center HS3 mission principal investigator and a research meteorologist NASA Scientist Dr. Scott Braun said, "We’re also flying new instrument payloads this year, which will sample the large-scale environment of storms to see if conditions are favorable for storm formation and intensification."

In addition to tracking storms far into the Caribbean, the aircraft’ high altitude and long endurance performance capabilities will provide access to storms forming off the coast of Africa.

Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector Advanced Programmes and Technology vice president and deputy general manager Fred Ricker said, "Under our agreement, Global Hawk is able to meet many demanding payload and mission requirements, allowing it to host various instruments and sensors to conduct different science missions and research campaigns for both the NASA/NOAA science community and other Northrop Grumman customers."

The second NASA Global Hawk is schedule for deployment later this month.