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(meteorobs) A wild idea for the 2002 Leonids ...
For everyone's amusement, here is a mail I just sent to the Dryden
Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB in California - in case I get
an answer, I'll let you know as well. Or does someone else have a
jet plane for me? :-)
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Dear Sirs,
I would like to learn more about NASA's use of the F/A-18 jet aircraft
for research missions other than the one with the SwRI discussed in
http://www.dfrc.nasadot gov/PAO/PressReleases/2002/02-20.html - it says
there that your "research pilots must fly a certain number of night flights
anyway for our proficiency requirements," but it is not said what other
research those planes are used for or how frequent that use is.
The reason I'm asking: This coming November there will be the last
Leonid meteor storms over both the U.S. and Western Europe for many
decades to come, probably a replay of the events of 2001 - but this
time there will be bright moonlight, hampering the usual photo- and
videographic methods of recording the meteors, esp. the numerous
faint ones.
Flying at great altitude would get rid of the lunar interference
almost totally, and the videographic equipment needed is about the
size of the SWUIS camera shown in the press release. So one naturally
has to wonder whether an F/A-18 could be 'rented' that night, i.e.
the morning of Nov. 19 local time, to perform these unique observations.
Thanks and regards,
Daniel Fischer
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