NASA has conducted electromagnetic testing to evaluate the X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft.
The agency said Tuesday the tests, performed at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, were designed to determine if the aircraft’s onboard systems would operate safely without interference.
Ensuring System Compatibility
The source-victim tests determined if the radios, navigation equipment and sensors did not interfere with each other and cause disruptions such as noise, glitches, faults or errors. The systems were activated one at a time on the aircraft to see their effect on other systems.
Engineers also evaluated X-59’s landing gear and fuel switch shutoff, particularly their ability to function without disrupting other systems. Furthermore, the team tested the electromagnetic compatibility between X-59’s systems and nearby aircraft. This was tested by placing the X-59 near NASA’s F-15D aircraft and then powering the former’s engine while the latter’s systems, including the radar, C-band radar transponder and radios, were turned on.
With the conclusion of electromagnetic testing, the team will now prepare for the aluminum bird tests. These tests are designed to evaluate the X-59’s systems reaction to various data inputs fed under normal and failure conditions.
Yohan Lin, NASA’s X-59 avionics lead, stated, “Reaching this phase shows that the aircraft integration is advancing. It’s exciting to see the progress, knowing we’ve cleared a major hurdle that moves us closer to X-59’s first flight.”
“You want to make discoveries of any potential electromagnetic interference or electromagnetic compatibility issues on the ground first. This reduces risk and ensures we’re not learning about problems in the air,” added Lin.
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