EDWARDS MAY PLAY KEY ROLE FOR CRAFT RESEARCH FOR FLIGHT REQUIRES CORRIDORS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE - Setting the stage for future research with ultra-high-speed aircraft, the Air Force is studying two potential hypersonic flight corridors leading from Edwards Air Force Base to Nevada and Utah.

In a draft environmental assessment, the Air Force states it is looking to establish one flight corridor 40 miles to 60 miles wide running north from the base into Nevada and another that would run northeast into Utah.

The assessment could be used by officials in future hypersonic research projects to get environmental clearances for test flights.

``It makes it easier for a project to go through the process,'' said Gary Hatch, a spokesman for Edwards' Environmental Management office. ``You don't have to keeping repeating the work.''

The Defense Department is interested in hypersonic technology to power aircraft and missiles. NASA is interested in the technology for launching spacecraft.

The north corridor would run from Edwards' northern border east of California City, over the China Lake Naval Weapons Center near Ridgecrest and into Nevada, ending near Battle Mountain, west of Elko, Nev.

The northeast corridor would run from Edwards into Nevada, about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, and would continue into Utah, ending at the Army's Dugway Proving Ground, southeast of Salt Lake City.

The study is being prepared by Edwards' Air Force Flight Test Center with assistance from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

Rather than using a specific aircraft for the work, the study uses a generic hypersonic aircraft that would be dropped from a mother ship over land in a fashion similar to the way NASA's hypersonic X-43A test craft were launched over the Pacific Ocean.

During these operations, the test craft would be released from a large turbojet aircraft at an altitude of about 40,000 feet. The hypersonic test aircraft would fly more than Mach 5, or about 3,500 mph, and at altitudes up to 150,000 feet.

Unlike the X-43A aircraft, which ended their flights with a crash into the sea, the hypersonic aircraft in the study would return to land at Edwards.

``Edwards AFB has historically been selected as a primary testing site for new aircraft and space vehicles because of the remote surroundings and viable landing options,'' according to the draft study. ``The hard flat surface of the Rogers Dry Lakebeds and hard surface runways has proven ideal for normal aircraft landings. The open terrain and lack of vertical features has contributed to the safe recovery of many test vehicles that would not have been possible in a less remote area.''

The study concluded that establishing the corridors would not cause any significant environmental harm or require any major mitigation.

A public comment period on the draft ends Dec. 26. If no major changes are required, the document could be finalized this spring.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com