Perlan Project: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American high altitude research organization}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox company

|name = The Perlan Project, Inc.

|image = Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 01.jpg

|image_caption = Perlan II

|foundation = 1992

|founder = [[Einar Enevoldson]]

|type = Non-operating private foundation<br>IRS [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)(3)]]

|focusproducts = Aerospace and Atmospheric Science Research, Development, Innovation and Education

|locations = [[Beaverton, Oregon]], [[United States of America|USA]]

|area_served = Global

|key_people = [[Einar Enevoldson]], <small>Founder &and Chairmanchairman</small><br>[[Elizabeth Austin (meteorologist)|Elizabeth Austin]], <small>Chief Meteorologist</small><br>[[Ed Warnock]], <small>CEO</small><br>Jim Payne,<small>Chief Pilot</small><br>[[Morgan Sandercock]], <small>Donor and Project Manager</small><br>[[Dennis Tito]], <small>Major Donor</small><br>[[Stéphane Fymat]], <small>Head of Build and Fundraising</small>

|homepage = [http://www.perlanproject.org/ www.perlanproject.org]

}}

[[File:Polar stratospheric cloud type 2.jpg|thumb|Arctic stratospheric cloud (Mother of Pearl cloud)]]

'''Perlan Project''' Inc. is a <!-- [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)(3)]] -->not-for-profit aeronautical exploration and atmospheric science research organization that utilizes [[Glider (sailplane)|sailplanes]] (gliders) designed to fly at extremely high altitudes.

On 29 August 29, 2006 [[Steve Fossett]] and [[Einar Enevoldson]], the pilots of Perlan Mission I, broke the existing altitude record for gliders by soaring up to 50,671 feet (15,460m) in a standard glider using stratospheric waves of air. Perlan Project is currently working on Airbus Perlan Mission II, where [[Airbus]] is the title sponsor.

The [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] has ratified the altitude record of 15{{convert|22657|m}} achieved on 2 September 2018,902<ref>{{cite metresweb (52|title=Records |url=https://www.fai.org/record/18704 |website=FAI |access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref> a substantial improvement over the previous year's best altitude of {{convert|15902|m}},172 feet)which was set on 3 September 2017 .<ref name=altituderecords /><ref name="2017 record">{{cite web

|title=Perlan Press Release

|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61941e70-7245-4089-83bb-da3da7240d6e

|access-date=5 September 2017

}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2017/09/perlan-sets-new-world-record.html | title=Airbus Perlan Mission II Soars into History, Sets New World Record for Glider Altitude &#124; Airbus | date=28 October 2021 }}</ref> ThisThese flightflights used the custom designed and built pressurized high-altitude [[Windward Performance Perlan II]] glider., sponsored Theby flight[[Airbus]]. They also collected data about earth’sEarth's atmosphere and its ozone layer.

==Meteorological Basisbasis of the Missionsmissions==

The project is awaiting ratification of altitude records of {{cvt|18,492|m}} on 26 Aug 2018, {{cvt|19,439|m}} on 28 Aug 2018 and {{cvt|22,646|m}} on 2 Sep 2018.<ref name=altituderecords />

==Meteorological Basis of the Missions==

[[Lee wave|Standing mountain waves]] are a source of rising air used in the sport of [[gliding|soaring]]. Riding these waves, similar in some ways to surfing on an ocean wave, has been widely used to reach great altitudes in sailplanes since they were discovered by German glider pilots, including [[Wolf Hirth]], in 1933 in the [[Riesengebirge]].<ref>{{cite web

| url = http://www.nateferguson.com/glider.html

| title = Article about wave lift

| accessdate = 2006-09-28 September 2006

}}</ref> This method uses the powerfully rising and sinking air in [[Lee Wave|mountain waves]]. Gliders regularly climb in these waves to high altitudes.

Prior to the 4 September 4th, 2017 flight, the glider absolute world [[flight altitude record|altitude record]] stood at 15,460 meters (50,727 feet), which is the altitude reached by [[Steve Fossett]] and [[Einar Enevoldson]] during Perlan Mission I. The previous record was 14,938 meters (49,009 feet). It was set in [[1986 in aviation|1986]] by Robert R. Harris, flying from [[California City]] and reaching his record height over [[Mount Whitney]], California.<ref>*[http://records.fai.org/gliding/history.asp?id1=DO&id2=1&id3=98 Official FAI Gliding Open Class Absolute Altitude World Record] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050219015448/http://records.fai.org/gliding/history.asp?id1=DO&id2=1&id3=98 |date=2005-02-19 February 2005 }}</ref> This may be near the limit for standing mountain waves in temperate latitudes, although in unusual meteorological conditions much higher altitudes may be achievable.

Standing waves normally do not extend above the tropopause at temperate latitudes. A strong west wind usually decreases above the tropopause, which has been shown to cap or prevent the upward propagation of standing mountain waves. However, at the outer boundary of the [[polar vortex]], in winter, the stratospheric [[polar night jet]] exists. Its wind field can join with the wind field of the polar [[jet stream]]. The result is a wind which increases with altitude through the [[tropopause]] and upward to 100,000 feet or above. When this conjunction of winds occurs over a barrier mountain, standing mountain waves will propagate through that entire altitude range. [[Einar Enevoldson]], former [[NASA]] test pilot, sought to demonstrate the feasibility of riding these stratospheric standing mountain waves. The weather conditions favorable, although not in every case required to exist simultaneously for a climb into the stratospheric waves, are not exceptional. The following list of requirements for record attempts was given in an article published in 2014:<ref name=":0">{{CitationCite news needed|date=July2014-11-01 2015|title=Airbus Perlan Mission II |url=https://issuu.com/mccawmedia/docs/soaringissue39_web_backissue |access-date=2024-09-20 |work=SoaringNZ |pages=27}}</ref>

*Prefrontal conditions

*The stratospheric polar night jet overhead (occurring in near-polar latitudes during the late winter and early spring),{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

*Ridge top winds ≥ 40 knots

*Pre-frontal conditions,{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

*Winds within 30 degrees of perpendicular to ridgeline

*A gradual increase in wind speed with altitude,{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

*Strong low-level winds

*Wind direction within 30° of perpendicular to the mountain ridgeline,{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

*Strong low-altitude winds in aA stable atmosphere,{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

*A gradual wind increase in altitude

*Ridge-top winds of at least 20 knots.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

*A weak tropopause

These conditions often occur during late winter and early spring over the southern Andes and Scandinavia.<ref name=":0" />

These conditions are likely to occur in the southern region of Patagonia three to four times per year between mid-August and mid-October. They probably occur in New Zealand, but less frequently; over the Antarctic Peninsula more frequently; and at several locations in the northern hemisphere, but closer to the North Pole at latitudes above 60° north.{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

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==History==

{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2015}}

[[Einar Enevoldson]] conceived the project in 1992, after seeing the new LIDAR images of standing mountain waves west of [[Kiruna, Sweden]], that [[Wolfgang Renger]] of the [[German Aerospace Center|DLR]], [[Oberpfaffenhofen]], Germany had posted on his office wall. Enevoldson collected evidence on the ___location, prevalence, and strength of stratospheric mountain waves during the period 1992-1998. Starting in 1998 Elizabeth Austin expanded the data analysis and put the project on a firm meteorological basis, with the observation that the stratospheric polar night jet was the principal factor enabling the propagation of standing mountain waves high into the middle stratosphere. At this time a small group at the [[NASA Dryden]] Flight Research Center analysed the flight dynamics and aerodynamics of sailplane flight up to 100,000 feet.

In 1999, [[Steve Fossett]] heard that Enevoldson was trying to find funding, and immediately asked to join the project. [[United States Air Force]], on the basis of NASA request, loaned the project full pressure suits. A [[Glaser-Dirks DG-500]] (DG 505M) motorized glider was modified to remove all engine and related equipment and the space used for storage of [[liquid oxygen]] and a large supply of [[lithium battery|Li-SO₂]] primary batteries. Most of the instruments and electronics were replaced with equipment suitable for the extreme altitudes that the sailplane would encounter. [[Duncan Cummings]], of [[San Pedro, California]], built special, lightweight, efficient, reliable faceplate heat controllers. [[Butler Parachute]] Company built special high altitude stabilized parachutes.

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Enevoldson and Fossett flew the sailplane from [[California City]] for shakedown and preliminary high altitude flights in the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevadas]] of California, reaching over 42,000 feet in Spring 2002. In Summer 2002, the sailplane was shipped to [[Omarama]], New Zealand, where it flew during three winters without reaching the stratosphere. The timing was too early in the season.

Perlan Mission I was designed to prove Enevoldson’sEnevoldson's thesis by actually flying into and climbing these stratospheric mountain waves. In 2005, the sailplane was shipped to [[El Calafate]], Argentina, a small town at 50° south latitude. Five attempts in a three-week period, none in favorable weather conditions, were unsuccessful. In 2006, the forecast offered very favorable conditions on 28 August but at 33,000 feet, in a strong climb, Steve Fossett's pressure suit inflated prematurely and excessively, and the flight was aborted. The next day, on 29 August, after one of the pressure suit regulators had been changed, the weather conditions were still favorable, the team made another attempt. After a four-hour climb, Enevoldson and Fossett reached the record altitude of 50,671 feet (15,460m), validating the concept.

Because the record flight of 29 August 2006 proved Enevoldson's thesis, Steve Fossett agreed to fund, progressively, the next mission: to build a special purpose sailplane with a pressurized cabin to fly to 90,000 feet. At the time of Steve's death on 3 September 2007, the structural and aerodynamic design of the fuselage had been completed, along with the aerodynamic design of the entire sailplane. Funding for the remainder of the Perlan Project was lost with Steve's death, and a search for new funding was begun.

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After Fossett's death in 2007, it appeared for a time that the mission was on permanent hiatus. However, a new team gradually reassembled around Enevoldson and partial funding was secured thanks to commitments from partners in the [[United States]] and [[Australia]]. Einar Enevoldson reported in September 2008, that [[Morgan Sandercock]], an experienced sailplane pilot from Australia, had provided funds to restart the project. This funding was put to completing the fuselage with pressure cabin and do the structural tests on it, but additional funds were needed to complete the [[aircraft]].

In June 2010, [[Dennis Tito]] joined the mission as a pilot and major funder, which enabled significant progress towards the completion of the [[aircraft]]. That same year [[Jim Payne (glider pilot)|Jim Payne]], holder of numerous world soaring records, joined the project as chief pilot.

A great deal of design work has been done by Greg Cole of [[Windward Performance]] to show that a sailplane for 90,000 feet is relatively straightforward, while 100,000 feet is possible, although more difficult and expensive. Windward Performance willwould build the sailplane of high performance pre-preg in production-quality tooling. The sailplane requiresrequired relatively high-end design, analysis, and construction, to be flutter-safe at very high true air speeds, and strong enough for the potentially heavy turbulence that could be encountered at 90,000 feet. It must also have well-proven, fail-safe pressurization and cabin air re-cycling systems.

In 2014, [[Airbus]] agreed to become the title sponsor, and provide sufficient funding for completion of the aircraft, flight testing and the altitude flights. The mission aswas renamed the [[Airbus Perlan Mission II]].

[[RDD Enterprises]], an aviation research, design &and development company based in [[Redmond, Oregon]], took over the manufacture of the [[Windward Performance Perlan II|Perlan 2]].

===Flight campaigns===

[[File:Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 02.jpg|thumb|Perlan II N901EE at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2022]]

The aircraft was completed in the summer of 2015, with first flight scheduled for 7 September. Windy conditions that day prevented the flight, which finally occurred on 23 September.<ref>[http://www.opb.org/news/article/experimental-glider-flies-for-first-time-in-redmond/ "Experimental Glider Flies for the First Time in Redmond"]</ref> Flight testing will start and continuestarted in [[Minden, NV]] in fall and winter of 2015, using a new hangar donated by Tito.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.flyingmag.com/perlan-2-glider-preps-for-flight-tests | title=Perlan 2 Glider Preps for Flight Tests | date=17 December 2015 }}</ref> The first attempts to reach 90,000 feet will be launched from [[El Calafate]], [[Argentina]], deep in the south of [[Patagonia]], in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] soon afterwards in summer of 2016.<!--use month, as summer is January in South-->

AJim Payne (USA) and Morgan Sandercock (Australia) set a new altitude record of 15,902 metres (52,172 feet) by Jim Payne (USA) and Morgan Sandercock (Australia) from [[Comandante Armando Tola International Airport]] in El Calafate, Argentina. The flight took place on 3 September 2017.<ref name="2017 record"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://fai.org/record/teamcrew-18248 | title=Glider absolute altitude record 15,902m| date=16 October 2017}}</ref>

The 2018 season was again based at El Calafate. The project acquired a [[Grob G 520|Grob G 520 Egrett]] turboprop aircraft for use as a tow plane. This enabled Perlan II to be towed to {{cvt|44,000|ft|0}} <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.perlanproject.org/blog/stratospheric-tow-perlan-2-egrett|title=Stratospheric tow of Perlan 2 by Egrett}}</ref> This seems to be the highest glider tow, asalthough such records are not registered.

[[File:Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 03.jpg|thumb|Perlan II's list of actual and hoped-for records as of 2022]]

On 26 August 2018 Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock reached an altitude of {{cvt|18,492|m}}.<ref name=Airbus3sep2018 /><ref name=altituderecords>{{cite web|url=https://www.fai.org/records?f%5B0%5D=field_record_sport%3A2019&f%5B1%5D=field_type_of_record%3A504|title=FAI Absolute Altitude Records : Gliding}}</ref>

This was followed by {{cvt|19,439|m}} with Jim Payne and Miguel Iturmendi on 28 August 2018.<ref name=altituderecords />

On 2 September 2018, Jim Payne and Tim Gardner reached an altitude of {{cvt|22,646657|m}},<ref name=altituderecords /> surpassing the {{cvt|73,737|feet}} attained by Jerry Hoyt on April 17, April 1989 in a [[Lockheed U-2]]: the highest manned, heavier-than-air, subsonic flight.<!--<ref name=Airbus3sep2018>-->

The Perlan 2 could fly to {{cvt|90,000|feet}} if conditions allow, higher than the manned level flight altitude record of the [[SR-71 Blackbird]] at {{cvt|85,069|feet}}.<ref name=Airbus3sep2018>{{cite press release |url= https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/09/airbus-perlan-mission-ii-glider-soars-to-76-000-feet-to-break-ow.html |title= Airbus Perlan Mission II glider soars to 76,000 feet to break own altitude record, surpassing even U-2 reconnaissance plane |date= 3 September 2018 |publisher= Airbus}}</ref>

Previous records were measured with [[pressure altitude]],; high altitude soaring records now require [[GPS]] data.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.perlanproject.org/blog/world-record-claim-above-60000-feet-august-26-2018 |date= Aug 27, August 2018 |title= World Record Claim Above 60,000 Feet on August 26, 2018 |publisher= Perlan Project}}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.perlanproject.org/ Perlan Project's official website]

*[http://www.techbriefs.com/index.php?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=Briefs/July00/DRC0008.html NASA Tech Brief DRC-00-08: Soaring to 100,000 ft on Stratospheric Mountain Waves]

==Notes==

{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Research organizations in the United States]]

[[Category:Aviation pioneers]]