A NASA research aircraft experienced a turbulent landing this week in Houston, resulting in spectacular images but fortunately no casualties.
The aircraft slid on its belly on the runway at Ellington Field, surrounded by flames and smoke, due to a mechanical failure of the landing gear. Fortunately, the crew emerged without any injuries. This aircraft, a WB-57, is specially designed to operate at very high altitudes during scientific missions.
This incident gives us the opportunity to talk about this aircraft, little-known yet with a very rich history.
Derived from the B-57 Canberra bomber developed for the US Air Force in the 1950s, the WB-57s were later retired from military service and some of them deeply modified for a new life in scientific research.
What makes the WB-57 an exceptional aircraft is first its ability to operate very high, for very long periods. Capable of reaching altitudes of 60,000 feet (about 18 km or 11.2 miles) thanks to its very large wings, it flies above most atmospheric disturbances and commercial air traffic. This characteristic makes it a unique tool for studying the stratosphere, observing rare phenomena (eclipses, high-altitude storms, atmospheric emissions) or validating sensors intended for satellites.
Thus, on April 8, 2024, one of them followed the path of the total eclipse that crossed North America, offering more than six minutes of observation of the solar corona, an extended duration compared to that available from a stationary position on the Earth's surface, on the order of one to two minutes.
The WB-57 also stands out for its scientific flexibility. Its fuselage and wings can accommodate a wide variety of instruments: optical sensors, infrared, spectrometers, radars, or atmospheric sampling systems. Unlike a satellite, the aircraft can be reconfigured between missions, adapted to a specific need, and deployed quickly to an area of interest. It thus serves as an intermediary between ground measurements and space observation.
Its exceptional character also lies in its operational longevity. Where most aircraft of its generation have long since disappeared, the WB-57 continues to fly more than 70 years after its first flight thanks to successive modernizations, rigorous maintenance, and a very targeted positioning.