Unmanned flying wing to be tested off Kaua'i

Associated Press

BARKING SANDS, Kaua'i — NASA will conduct the initial test flight of its $15 million solar-powered, unmanned flying wing Friday, officials said.

The first of as many as three flights of the Helios Prototype will take place at the Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua'i, said John Hicks, who manages NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology project.

The Helios is able to cruise at altitudes reaching 100,000 feet, more than three times higher than commercial jets.

NASA developed the Helios with AeroVironment Inc. in a bid to build a remotely piloted aircraft that could replace space satellites for some applications.

The first flight may reach only 70,000 feet, as engineers assess how well Helios performs, officials said. The second and third will attempt to reach 100,000 feet — more than midway through the stratosphere to a height of 19 miles.

If successful, the plane will set a record for sustained flight at that altitude.

The test flights will be conducted over the Pacific Ocean northwest of Kaua'i. The aircraft is controlled on the ground by two pilots using desktop computers.