NASA’s Douglas DC-8 Airborne Science Laborotory platform, N817NA, is touring Asia on its final missions before disposition this spring.
The aircraft, which is approaching 55 years old, has been an important platform for NASA’s research since 1986 when it retired from airline service.
Prior to that, it flew for airlines like Alitalia and Braniff Airways.
Now, it is set to enter a new life as a ground-based training platform as NASA prepares a former Japan Airlines Boeing 777 to take over the role.
Asia Mission
Photo Jhony Zavaleta
On 5 February NASA’s DC-8 began a mission flying at low altitude over Manilla to study the air quality in the Philippines as part of an international study with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“The aircraft will fly over the Manila urban area at a safe, low altitude, without harm, to study the air quality in the Philippines as part of the international collaboration of NASA and the DENR,” the DENR said.
The ASIA-AQ brings together international experts from NASA in the United States, South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).
Over the next two months, N817NA is set to take part in more studies across Asia.
On 15 February it will fly to South Korea, then on 28 February it will move to Malaysia.
On 13 March the DC-8 will position to Thailand, and then from 27-31 March it will be back in Malaysia.
NASA DC-8 Retirement
Photo Jhony R. Zavaleta
According to recent posts online, N817NA is set to be retired to Pocatello, Idaho this spring, where it will begin a new life training pilots, maintenance engineers and astronomers who study at the nearby GIS Training and Research Center which is part of Idaho State University and affiliated with NASA.
Looking at the NASA calendar for its Airborne Science aircraft, the DC-8 is set to enter a phase of maintenance from 8-27 April, presumably at its Palmdale, CA base, followed by a period of ‘disposition’ from the end of May until October.
Presumably this will incorporate its move to Pocatello and its decomissioning and transition into a training aid.
The exact date of retirement or a final flight is not yet known.
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