An Unrivaled Asset: The NASA ER-2 as a Driver of Unique Scientific Innovation

The NASA ER-2 is a purpose-built version of the USAF U 2R high-altitude aircraft. The ER 2 is capable of delivering over one ton of instrument payload to altitudes approaching 70,000 ft, well into the stratosphere, at subsonic speeds for an eight-hour flight. These aircraft uniquely enable a number of mission profiles important to NASA including targeted remote sensing and in-situ science, satellite calibration and validation, and instrument technology maturation. The missions flown by these aircraft have been at the core of numerous ground-breaking discoveries, including the conclusive demonstration of the connection between chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and the Antarctic ozone hole, as well as the discovery of novel electrical phenomena tied to thunderstorms. In both these examples, the discoveries that resulted from the ER 2 flights were only possible because of the unrivaled flight altitude of the ER-2. This manuscript, written based on collected responses from a community survey of the scientists, engineers, and crew who have been involved with these aircraft, examines the unique history, strengths, and weaknesses of the NASA ER-2 as a driver of unique scientific innovation.