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KC135 Data Sheet
By Glen Golightly
Houston Bureau Chief
posted: 06:13 am ET
20 October 1999
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KC-135A quick facts:This planespent most of its career as an U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tanker forfighters and bombers. In the mid-1990s, NASA acquired the aircraft foruse in microgravity experiments.Model: Boeing KC-135A (civilianversion, Boeing 707) Nickname: The Vomit Comet Tail number: N931NA Year built: 1963 Number of engines: Four turbojetsNumber of hours flown: 12,105(as of 10/7/99) Number of parabolic dives:16,744 (as of 10/7/99) Crew: Pilot, co-pilot, flightengineer and two test directors Cost to operate per hour:About $6,500 Primary missions: - 1.conduct microgravity research
- 2. fly ahead of the 747 thatcarries the shuttle and report on weather conditions.
- 3. Testing microwave landingsystems at airports.
- 4. Shuttle pilots in trainingwith little experience in large aircraft use the KC-135A to gain experience.
Types of maneuvers and how longthe effects last:- Negative-g (-0.1g) About 15seconds
- Zero-g About 25 seconds
- Lunar gravity About 30 seconds
- Martian gravity About 40 seconds
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