US space agency NASA’s Boeing 777-200ER has returned the fleet after substantial modification to support its role as an airborne laboratory.
The aircraft — an ex-Japan Airlines airframe, registered N577NA — has been undergoing significant structural upgrade at Waco in Texas, carried out by L3Harris Technologies and aerospace firm Yulista, since the beginning of last year.
NASA acquired the aircraft as a successor to its veteran Douglas DC-8 in 2022.
The 777 is due to embark on its inaugural science task in January 2027, being deployed for analysis of severe winter weather conditions — such as snow and ice storms, cold air outbreaks, and hazardous sea conditions.
This mission, known by the acronym ‘NURTURE’, will carry out observations across North America, Greenland, Europe, the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean.
“The 777 will be the largest airborne research laboratory in our fleet, collecting data to improve life on our home planet and extend our knowledge of the Earth system as a whole,” says NASA Airborne Science Program manager Derek Rutovic.
Powered by GE Aerospace GE90 engines, it can hold 50-100 operators and accommodate 34t of equipment.
“It gives us the ability to bring together more partners, more educational opportunities, and more instruments,” says NASA 777 programme manager Kirsten Boogaard. “That will make a real difference in the data we collect.”
L3Harris says it has applied 3D scanning and specialised installation tooling to allow the 777 to host various scientific payloads.
The aircraft “represents a leap” for the NASA airborne science operation, says L3Harris president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance Jason Lambert. The work has been completed five weeks ahead of schedule, adds the company.
Modification of the aircraft has also involved fitting research stations, enlarging cabin windows to serve as viewports, and installing portals in the lower fuselage to mount sensing instrumentation.
NASA and HII have carried out the research station upgrades, as well as wiring changes. Channels have been introduced to enable communication between infra-red spectrometers, lidar and other equipment.
Rutovic says the engineering design for the ‘NURTURE’ mission payload has been performed in parallel with the portal modifications. The aircraft returned to NASA’s Langley research centre on 22 April following check flights in Waco.
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