Super spy plane at Woomera
BRITISH Royal Air Force scientists at Woomera are attempting to break the record for high altitude unmanned flight.
The Advertiser has learned of the record attempt, in which British scientists who arrived in South Australia last week are seeking to fly the unmanned spy drone Zephyr 3 at a record 40km above the Earth.
NASA's space shuttles and experimental rocket planes are the only winged aircraft to have flown higher.
The British Defence Ministry confirmed the tests but told The Advertiser details of the performance of the aircraft were so secret the results might not be made public even if it broke the record.
"It is not something we are releasing a lot of information about yet," Defence spokesman Christian Cubitt said from London. "I can say the work could take several months and the aim of the experiments is to test the viability of a self-sustaining unmanned aircraft."
The current record is held by NASA's Helios craft, which flew 29.5km above the ground. In June, 2003, it disintegrated during a flight over the Pacific Ocean.
At 40km, the Zephyr 3 would be able to take pictures of Adelaide and beyond.
The aircraft represents the next generation of unmanned drones, with solar-powered engines allowing it to stay in the stratosphere virtually indefinitely, using stored battery power during darkness.
In a disaster zone or above the battlefield, entire squadrons of the craft could be deployed to send still images back to Earth and facilitate mobile telephone and radio communications.
The RAF currently uses the cumbersome Hercules transport plane for such reconnaissance tasks in Iraq.
The Zephyr 3 is being developed by a privatised arm of Britain's Defence Ministry for battlefield use, but also is designed to be a cheap alternative to satellites for peacetime use. Despite its 12m wingspan, the craft weighs only 14kg and is powered by five 1kw motors.
Many details of the record attempt will remain a secret, including the method of deployment. The aircraft is usually launched from a balloon but can also get into the air via a rocket, a larger plane or by self-propulsion.
While the first record attempt could be made this week, the RAF scientists could remain in the state for much longer.
Mr Cubitt said Woomera was the ideal location because of climatic conditions during March and April.
"The reason it is going on in South Australia is that at this time of year it can't happen in the northern hemisphere because we need a lot of sunlight," he said. "They are at Woomera now and may take several months to complete the mission."
Woomera is now managed as a defence and scientific facility through BAE Systems Australia, based in Adelaide.
BAE Systems Australia director of operations Jim Hanson said the company hoped to attract other significant projects this year and 2005 represented "exciting times" for the facility.
"The range offers unrivalled conditions for defence and commercial customers to run air, space and land-based trials," he said. "We are currently working with the Commonwealth Government to market the range and hope to attract substantial new business to the range from overseas customers in the coming months."
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/co ... 82,00.html
10mar05
icture at link above (Could be an 'artist's impression' though)