Advanced Soaring Concepts Apex
The Apex was a project of sailplane without pilot studied by Advanced Soaring Concepts for the needs for NASA within the framework of a research program on the aerodynamic phenomena with very high-altitude.
The Programme of flight to high-altitude Apex was launched by the Dryden Flight Research Center of NASA to test aerodynamic behaviors of subsonic flights at altitudes close to 30500 m, therefore in a rarefied air. It was acted in fact of very testing new profiles of aerofoil either for planes evolving/moving with high-altitude or for the plane Martian projected by NASA to facilitate the exploration of red planet. A stratospheric balloon was to thus raise up to 32000 m a sailplane without pilot suspended by the tail. Released in this driving position, the sailplane was to pass in level flight around 29.000 m with the assistance of a rocket engine.
Monoplane with median wing, the sailplane Apex was to use a profile of wing especially drawn by the Dr. Mark Drela , of the Massachusetts Institute off Technology. A `sensor of vagueness' intended to measure the trail behind wing was to make it possible to study the behavior of it. The first flights were planned for 1998, but the program took delay. In January 1999 the sailplane was in the course of construction and one announced his delivery with the Dryden Flight Research Center for the end of March or at the beginning of April… but the program had been meanwhile cold by NASA. Started again in 2000, the project Apex was finally abandoned less than one year later. NASA will very obtain the data required on the flights with high-altitude in 2003 with the solar Avion Helios .
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