What happened to the Tu-144LL ?
I was wondering - what happened to Tu-144LL (the much improved version of the original Tu-144) that was used as a test platform by NASA in the late 90's ?
Mothballed ? Destroyed ? Still airworthy .... ? Also was there any publication of the data collected during those flights ? |
Still intact at Zhukovsky:
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Also was there any publication of the data collected during those flights ? |
Originally Posted by twochai
IIRC the stated purpose of NASA/Boeing of the data gathering was for some cabin noise measurements - not a particularly exciting data set!
Data collected from the flight and ground experiments during the NASA-funded Tu-144LL flight research program are being used to develop the technology base for a proposed future second-generation American-built supersonic jetliner. Although development of an advanced SST is currently on hold, commercial aviation experts estimate a market for up to 500 such aircraft could develop by the third decade of the 21st century. |
Still intact at Zhukovsky Is there any maintenance performed, however minimal ? I'm sure it is not flight capable but is there some preservation effort ? Outside storage, especially in Moscow's climate, doesn't seem ideal. |
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Great - didn't know about this "fan" site :D
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Contrary to some writings the use of the Tu144 77114 for the NASA experiments did not involve the aircraft being taken over to the USA. The (relatively few) experimental flights were made from Moscow Zhukovsky.
From it's construction number, 08-2, I would presume it started assembly in 1978, but the aircraft was first noted in 1981, well after the experimental service from Moscow to Alma Ata (now Almaty) had been and gone, the NASA flights started at the end of 1996, and petered out around the turn of the century. Outside storage, especially in Moscow's climate, doesn't seem ideal. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.83.../data=!3m1!1e3 |
I was there for other reasons in, I think, 1998. My Russian hosts showed me all over the thing. A couple of US nationals got all bitter and twisted about it, telling us in no uncertain terms to go away. My hosts explained the shape of the planet, and we'd look at anything we wanted to. Interesting times. I've got photos somewhere of NASA stickers on the side of the plane.
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Originally Posted by Bushfiva
(Post 9768902)
My hosts explained the shape of the planet
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Originally Posted by Bushfiva
(Post 9768902)
I was there for other reasons in, I think, 1998. My Russian hosts showed me all over the thing. A couple of US nationals got all bitter and twisted about it, telling us in no uncertain terms to go away. My hosts explained the shape of the planet, and we'd look at anything we wanted to. Interesting times. I've got photos somewhere of NASA stickers on the side of the plane.
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$400m? Wow
Given the BAC Type 102 did not leave service until 2003, would it not have been cheaper for NASA to have booked a few BA001/002 returns and stashed a bit of recording kit in the cabin? Their rocket scientists would also have also got the benefit of a Concorde Lounge send off, caviar, grouse, a lovely cheese course, fine wine, champagne and a Certificate! Just thinking out of the box One has to say, whilst Concorde "looked right", there is a sinister beauty to the Tu-144 |
ok still digging this one (quite an interesting story).
The cost of the "Tu-144LL flying lab" was about $18M. The $350M was the total cost of the NASA HST research program. |
Originally Posted by TCU
(Post 9769106)
One has to say, whilst Concorde "looked right", there is a sinister beauty to the Tu-144
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi...no_museum).JPG |
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