Photo credit: www.nasa.gov

NASA and GE Aerospace Collaborate on Contrail Research Flights

In an innovative initiative aimed at enhancing the understanding of contrails and their effects on global climate, NASA has partnered with GE Aerospace to conduct a series of flight tests in Virginia. These tests aim to shed light on the thin trails left by aircraft at high altitudes, which may have considerable implications for climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere.

The media is invited to attend a special event scheduled for Monday, November 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Attendees will have the opportunity to see NASA’s G-III aircraft along with GE Aerospace’s 747 Flying Test Bed (FTB), which will be central to the experiments. Experts from NASA and GE will be on hand to provide insights into the Contrail Optical Depth Experiment (CODEX), covering new methodologies and technologies, as well as discussing the broader environmental impacts associated with contrail formation.

For those interested in attending, prior arrangement is necessary. Media representatives are required to reach out to Brittny McGraw at brittny.v.mcgraw@nasa.gov by 12 p.m. EST on Friday, November 22, to secure their spot.

This week, NASA’s G-III is set to perform flights that will trail behind GE Aerospace’s FTB, employing Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to scan the aircraft wake. This cutting-edge approach will allow NASA to create three-dimensional imaging of contrails, leading to a deeper understanding of their formation and behavior over time, which is essential for developing strategies to mitigate their environmental impact.

For further details on NASA’s advancements in sustainable aviation technology, please visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/green-aero-tech

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Source
www.nasa.gov