On Jul 8, 11:19*pm, LIBERATOR wrote:
On Jul 8, 3:09*pm, clyde61 wrote:

Here are a couple of pictures of the Navy's NP-3D, which I believe is
stationed at Patuxent River NAS.http://www.flickr.com/photos/9632389@N03/3702385420/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9632389@N03/3702385394/

Anybody know exactly what the Navy is doing with this plane? It seems
to me to be part of a test program of some sort.

I don't understand why they don't just arm up a satellite with all
that is on this airplane.

What is the reason for using an airplane to do this instead of a
satellite?

SInce the mission is test range work, my guess would be that you
choose an airplane because:

- you can task it to be where you want it to be,
- you can tell them when you want it be there,
- and within limits tell it how long to stay there.

If you have a delay, you tell them to sit tight and orbit (no pun
intended). If you have a scrub, you tell them to come back to the
barn and we will try another day.

You don't have to concern yourself with targeting the test time and
location to coincide with a satellite's overhead pass.

You can change a satellite's orbital path, but that requires the
ability to change velocity (they call it delta V but most of us read
that as fuel). Each subsequent change to orbit also requires more
delta V. Satellite controllers can get REALLY grumpy about you
playing with their finite and diminishing delta V.

It may be that 24,000 miles is too far for the electronics involved if
you were to put it on a geostationary orbit.

Again this is my guess, and there might be other reasons.

Take care . . .

John

P.S. To Liberator . . . and to all the others that have served and
that serve today . . . Thank you.