The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other U.S. science research agencies operate a fleet of research aircraft and other airborne platforms that offer diverse capabilities. To inform NASA's future investments in airborne platforms, this study examines whether a large aircraft that would replace the current NASA DC-8 is needed to address Earth system science questions, and the role of other airborne platforms for achieving future Earth system science research goals.
- FrontMatter
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Contents
- Summary
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Setting the Stage: The Role of Airborne Platforms in Earth System Science
- 3 The DC-8 Airborne Research Platform
- 4 The Role of Airborne Platforms in Addressing Emerging Science
- 5 Workforce Training and Development
- 6 Recommendations for the Future Need of a Large Aircraft
- References
- Appendix A: Committee Member Biographies
- Appendix B: Statement of Task
- Appendix C: Acronyms
- Appendix D: 2017 Earth Science and Applications from Space Decadal Survey Table 3.2
- Appendix E: Atmospheric Chemistry Detailed Measurements