Scaled Composites Proteus
Encyclopedia
The Scaled Composites
Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-endurance aircraft
designed by Burt Rutan
to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. The Proteus is actually a multi-mission vehicle, able to carry various payloads on a ventral pylon. An extremely efficient design, the Proteus can orbit a point at over 65,000 feet (19,800 m) for more than 18 hours. It is currently owned by Northrop Grumman
.
's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
assisted Scaled Composites in developing a sophisticated station-keeping autopilot
system and a satellite communications (SATCOM)-based uplink-downlink data system for Proteus' performance and payload data. The Proteus wing
was adapted for use on the Model 318 White Knight carrier aircraft, which is the launch system for Rutan's Tier One
spacecraft and the DARPA X-37
.
Flight testing of the Proteus began with its first flight on July 26, 1998 at the Mojave Airport and continued through the end of 1999. In June, Proteus was deployed internationally for the first time, debuting at the Paris Air Show
. It was flown non-stop from Bangor, Maine
to Paris
. During the week-long show, it flew each day, demonstrating its capabilities as a telecommunications platform.
The Proteus is the current holder of a number of FAI
world records for altitude (class: C1-e: landplanes 3,000-6,000 kg, Group: 3, turbojet), set in cooperation with NASA Dryden. The highest altitude achieved was 63245 feet (19,277.1 m) in October, 2000.
Proteus was included in the list of the "100 Best of 1998 Design", Time Magazine, December 21, 1998.
. The project failed to move forward, however, and the subsequent series aircraft were not built.
photos from Proteus while it was flying high over the Experimental Aircraft Association
's AirVenture 99
Airshow at Oshkosh, Wisconsin
. The images were displayed on a computer monitor at the show only moments after they were taken.
, encompassed 30 flight hours over week and a half, characterizing cloud properties and validating the instrument.
Then, in September and October 2000, during the Water-Vapor Intensive Operating Period, Proteus and NAST flew validation flights studying upper tropospheric water vapor and performing underflights of the Terra satellite.
(ARM) program and their water vapor experiments. Flights were essentially the same as was flown for the NAST Water-Vapor Intensive Operating Period validation flights.
. The project used a number of different aircraft to develop methods of measuring ocean characteristics, and estimates of aerosols.
system. The pod housed an array of over 2000 small holes containing optical sensors to detect the laser system.
's Technical Analysis and Applications Center (TAAC), the FAA and several other entities, conducted flight demonstrations of an active detect, see and avoid (DSA) system for potential application to unmanned aerial vehicle
s (UAVs) out of Las Cruces, New Mexico
. This was a part of the NASA ERAST Project
. Proteus was flown as a surrogate UAV controlled remotely from the ground, although safety pilots were aboard to handle takeoff and landing and any potential emergencies. Three other aircraft, ranging from general aviation aircraft to a NASA F/A-18, served as "cooperative" target aircraft with an operating transponder. In each of 18 different scenarios, a Goodrich
Skywatch HP Traffic Advisory System (TAS) on the Proteus detected approaching air traffic on potential collision courses, including several scenarios with two aircraft approaching from different directions. The remote pilot then directed Proteus to turn, climb or descend as needed to avoid the potential threat.
In April 2003, a second series of flight demonstrations focusing on "non-cooperative" aircraft (those without operating transponders), was conducted in restricted airspace near Mojave, California
., again using the Proteus as a surrogate UAV. Proteus was equipped with a small Amphitech OASys 35 GHz primary radar system to detect potential intruder aircraft on simulated collision courses. The radar data was sent directly to the ground station as well as via an Inmarsat
satellite system installed on Proteus. A mix of seven intruder aircraft, ranging from a sailplane to a high-speed jet, flew 20 scenarios over a four-day period, one or two aircraft at a time. In each case, the radar picked up the intruding aircraft at ranges from 2.5 to 6.5 miles (10.5 km), depending on the intruder's radar signature. Proteus' remote pilot on the ground was able to direct Proteus to take evasive action if needed.
, flying as far south as Belize
. For this phase of the project, the aircraft was configured with 10 feet (3 m) canard
s and 13½ foot wingtip extensions.
program and the Sandia National Laboratories
to study cirrus clouds in the upper atmosphere. During these flights, the aircraft was equipped with over 20 sensors mounted on five different parts of the aircraft. In November 2002, Proteus participated in another phase of the project, flying from Ponca City. In October, 2004, Proteus operated out of Fairbanks, Alaska
, and in February, 2006, the aircraft was deployed to Darwin, Australia.
, flight tested their rocket release concept utilizing Scaled Composites' Proteus. A captive-carry test flight was performed on May 13, and the rocket mockup was dropped three times, on May 24, June 7 and June 14, over Edwards AFB. The mockup was a 23% scale model of a proposed 4-person crew capsule (called the CXV) and its AirLaunch LLC
-produced QuickReach II booster. These particular flight tests were to demonstrate the concept of t/Space's Trapeze/Lanyard (TLAD) air drop system.
Northrop Grumman is using the Proteus to research new UAV
technologies, as it can be controlled from the cockpit, a ground control station, or operate semi-autonomously. Scaled, in partnership with Northrop Grumman, is offering a fully unmanned version of the Proteus, labeled Model 395
, as part of the competition for the USAF
Hunter-Killer
competition. If selected, that product would have been flown in 2007.
On February 24, 2005, Proteus became Scaled's first bomber with the release of an inert 500-pound weapon over Nellis Air Force Base
in Nevada
.
, or MP-RTIP. This is a long range, high resolution air-to-ground and air-to-air synthetic aperture radar
system being developed for use on the RQ-4 Global Hawk
. This pod is, by function of its length and frontal area, one of the largest payloads carried by Proteus to date. Actual flight testing of the MP-RTIP system began in late September, 2006, with initial flight reaching 100 knots (196 km/h) and 22000 feet (6,705.6 m) altitude.
Class C-1e, (Landplanes: take off weight 3,000 to 6,000 kg), Group 2, turbojet, including:
Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites is an aerospace company founded by Burt Rutan and currently owned by Northrop Grumman that is located at the Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California, United States...
Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-endurance aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
designed by Burt Rutan
Burt Rutan
Elbert Leander "Burt" Rutan is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft...
to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. The Proteus is actually a multi-mission vehicle, able to carry various payloads on a ventral pylon. An extremely efficient design, the Proteus can orbit a point at over 65,000 feet (19,800 m) for more than 18 hours. It is currently owned by Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
.
Design and development
Proteus has an all-composite airframe with graphite-epoxy sandwich construction. Its wingspan of 77 in 7 in (23.65 m) is expandable to 92 feet (28 m) with removable wingtips installed. Proteus is an "optionally piloted" aircraft ordinarily flown by two pilots in a pressurized cabin. However, it also has the capability to perform its missions semi-autonomously or flown remotely from the ground. Under NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
Dryden Flight Research Center
The Dryden Flight Research Center , located inside Edwards Air Force Base, is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. On March 26, 1976 it was named in honor of the late Hugh L. Dryden, a prominent aeronautical engineer who at the time of his death in 1965 was NASA's deputy administrator...
assisted Scaled Composites in developing a sophisticated station-keeping autopilot
Autopilot
An autopilot is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. An autopilot can refer specifically to aircraft, self-steering gear for boats, or auto guidance of space craft and missiles...
system and a satellite communications (SATCOM)-based uplink-downlink data system for Proteus' performance and payload data. The Proteus wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
was adapted for use on the Model 318 White Knight carrier aircraft, which is the launch system for Rutan's Tier One
Tier One
Tier One is Scaled Composites' program of suborbital human spaceflight using the reusable spacecraft SpaceShipOne and its launcher White Knight. The craft was designed by Burt Rutan, and the project is funded 20 million US Dollars by Paul Allen...
spacecraft and the DARPA X-37
Boeing X-37
The Boeing X-37 is an American unmanned vertical-takeoff, horizontal-landing spaceplane. The X-37 is operated by the United States Air Force for orbital spaceflight missions intended to demonstrate reusable space technologies...
.
Flight testing of the Proteus began with its first flight on July 26, 1998 at the Mojave Airport and continued through the end of 1999. In June, Proteus was deployed internationally for the first time, debuting at the Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
. It was flown non-stop from Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. During the week-long show, it flew each day, demonstrating its capabilities as a telecommunications platform.
The Proteus is the current holder of a number of FAI
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
world records for altitude (class: C1-e: landplanes 3,000-6,000 kg, Group: 3, turbojet), set in cooperation with NASA Dryden. The highest altitude achieved was 63245 feet (19,277.1 m) in October, 2000.
Proteus was included in the list of the "100 Best of 1998 Design", Time Magazine, December 21, 1998.
Operational history
Due to the multimission nature of the aircraft, it has been involved in a number of significant research projects and missions. Scaled Composites, a wholly owned Northrop Grumman subsidiary, actively markets the aircraft as a research platform, and has published a user's guide for planning proposed missions.Angel Technologies HALO
Proteus was originally conceived as a high-altitude, long operation (HALO) telecommunications platform. Proteus was to be the first of a series of aircraft built by Scaled Technology Works of Montrose, Colorado (a proposed spinoff of Scaled Composites which was later cancelled). The aircraft was intended to carry a 14 feet (4.3 m) antenna, which was flight tested in the fall of 1999 and the summer of 2000, including the relay of a video conference while the aircraft orbited over Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The project failed to move forward, however, and the subsequent series aircraft were not built.
ARTIS camera
A small Airborne Real-Time Imaging System (ARTIS) camera, developed by HyperSpectral Sciences, Inc., under NASA's ERAST project, was demonstrated during the summer of 1999 when it took visual and near-infraredInfrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
photos from Proteus while it was flying high over the Experimental Aircraft Association
Experimental Aircraft Association
The Experimental Aircraft Association is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception it has grown internationally with over 160,000 members and about 1,000 chapters worldwide....
's AirVenture 99
Oshkosh Airshow
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is America's largest annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States....
Airshow at Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
. The images were displayed on a computer monitor at the show only moments after they were taken.
NAST validation
Proteus' first science mission was to carry the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Airborne Sounder Testbed - Interferometer (NAST-I) instrument in March, 2000 during the Cloud-Intensive Operating Period over the Department of Energy Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) site. The flights, based out of Stilwell, OklahomaStilwell, Oklahoma
Stilwell is a town in Adair County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,276 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adair County...
, encompassed 30 flight hours over week and a half, characterizing cloud properties and validating the instrument.
Then, in September and October 2000, during the Water-Vapor Intensive Operating Period, Proteus and NAST flew validation flights studying upper tropospheric water vapor and performing underflights of the Terra satellite.
ARM-FIRE AFWEX project
In November–December 2000, Proteus flew as part of the DOE's Atmospheric Radiation MeasurementAtmospheric Radiation Measurement
The United States Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program was created in 1989 to develop several highly instrumented ground stations to study cloud formation processes and their influence on radiative transfer...
(ARM) program and their water vapor experiments. Flights were essentially the same as was flown for the NAST Water-Vapor Intensive Operating Period validation flights.
NASA TRACE-P
As part of the TRACE-P (Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific) mission, Proteus once again carried the NAST pod during March, 2001. The aircraft logged 126 flight hours, and was variously based out of Alaska, Hawaii and Japan, gathering data in coordination with ground, balloon and satellite sensor packages over the North Pole in March, 2001.NASA CLAMS
Proteus took part in the NASA Chesapeake Lighthouse & Aircraft Measurements for Satellites (CLAMS) program in July and August 2001, flying out of NASA's Wallops Flight FacilityWallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
. The project used a number of different aircraft to develop methods of measuring ocean characteristics, and estimates of aerosols.
Airborne laser target
In February, 2002, Proteus carried a 30 feet (9.1 m) long pod which served as a target for development of the Airborne LaserBoeing YAL-1
The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed, weapons system is a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted inside a modified Boeing 747-400F. It is primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles , while in boost phase. The aircraft was designated...
system. The pod housed an array of over 2000 small holes containing optical sensors to detect the laser system.
ERAST DSA system
In March 2002, NASA Dryden, in cooperation with New Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
's Technical Analysis and Applications Center (TAAC), the FAA and several other entities, conducted flight demonstrations of an active detect, see and avoid (DSA) system for potential application to unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
s (UAVs) out of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
. This was a part of the NASA ERAST Project
ERAST Project
The Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology, or ERAST program was a NASA program to develop cost-effective, slow-flying unmanned aerial vehicles that can perform long-duration science missions at altitudes above 60,000 feet. The project included a number of different technology...
. Proteus was flown as a surrogate UAV controlled remotely from the ground, although safety pilots were aboard to handle takeoff and landing and any potential emergencies. Three other aircraft, ranging from general aviation aircraft to a NASA F/A-18, served as "cooperative" target aircraft with an operating transponder. In each of 18 different scenarios, a Goodrich
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
Skywatch HP Traffic Advisory System (TAS) on the Proteus detected approaching air traffic on potential collision courses, including several scenarios with two aircraft approaching from different directions. The remote pilot then directed Proteus to turn, climb or descend as needed to avoid the potential threat.
In April 2003, a second series of flight demonstrations focusing on "non-cooperative" aircraft (those without operating transponders), was conducted in restricted airspace near Mojave, California
Mojave, California
Mojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
., again using the Proteus as a surrogate UAV. Proteus was equipped with a small Amphitech OASys 35 GHz primary radar system to detect potential intruder aircraft on simulated collision courses. The radar data was sent directly to the ground station as well as via an Inmarsat
International Mobile Satellite Organization
The International Mobile Satellite Organization is the intergovernmental organization that oversees certain public satellite safety and security communication services provided via the Inmarsat satellites...
satellite system installed on Proteus. A mix of seven intruder aircraft, ranging from a sailplane to a high-speed jet, flew 20 scenarios over a four-day period, one or two aircraft at a time. In each case, the radar picked up the intruding aircraft at ranges from 2.5 to 6.5 miles (10.5 km), depending on the intruder's radar signature. Proteus' remote pilot on the ground was able to direct Proteus to take evasive action if needed.
IHOP 2002
The International H2O Project (IHOP 2002) was a field experiment which took place over the Southern Great Plains of the United States from May 13 to June 25, 2002. The chief aim of IHOP 2002 was improved characterization of the four-dimensional (4-D) distribution of water vapor and its application to improving the understanding and prediction of convection. The NASA Holographic Airborne Rotating Lidar Instrument Experiment was flown as a part of this project. Flights were performed in coordination with Lockheed P-3 and DC-8 aircraft.NASA Crystal-FACE
In July, 2002, Proteus participated in Crystal-FACE, measuring tropical cirrus clouds, operating from Key West, FloridaKey West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, flying as far south as Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. For this phase of the project, the aircraft was configured with 10 feet (3 m) canard
Canard (aeronautics)
In aeronautics, canard is an airframe configuration of fixed-wing aircraft in which the forward surface is smaller than the rearward, the former being known as the "canard", while the latter is the main wing...
s and 13½ foot wingtip extensions.
ARM-UAV
Proteus has been used in a number of deployments as a part of a project sponsored by the DOE's Atmospheric Radiation MeasurementAtmospheric Radiation Measurement
The United States Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program was created in 1989 to develop several highly instrumented ground stations to study cloud formation processes and their influence on radiative transfer...
program and the Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
to study cirrus clouds in the upper atmosphere. During these flights, the aircraft was equipped with over 20 sensors mounted on five different parts of the aircraft. In November 2002, Proteus participated in another phase of the project, flying from Ponca City. In October, 2004, Proteus operated out of Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
, and in February, 2006, the aircraft was deployed to Darwin, Australia.
t/Space trapeze
In May and June, 2005, Transformational Space Corp., or t/SpaceT/Space
t/Space is an American aerospace company which was participating in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program for delivering cargo and crew to the International Space Station. The company's CEO is Charles Duelfer who ran the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the...
, flight tested their rocket release concept utilizing Scaled Composites' Proteus. A captive-carry test flight was performed on May 13, and the rocket mockup was dropped three times, on May 24, June 7 and June 14, over Edwards AFB. The mockup was a 23% scale model of a proposed 4-person crew capsule (called the CXV) and its AirLaunch LLC
AirLaunch LLC
AirLaunch LLC was an aerospace design and development company headquartered in Kirkland, Washington. They hope to provide launch services for launching payloads into orbits around the Earth. This is to be realized through a method called air launch where a rocket is carried within an aircraft and...
-produced QuickReach II booster. These particular flight tests were to demonstrate the concept of t/Space's Trapeze/Lanyard (TLAD) air drop system.
Model 395 development
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
technologies, as it can be controlled from the cockpit, a ground control station, or operate semi-autonomously. Scaled, in partnership with Northrop Grumman, is offering a fully unmanned version of the Proteus, labeled Model 395
Scaled Composites Model 395
The Scaled Composites Model 395 is an unmanned air vehicle which is currently under development. It is a derivative of the Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus aircraft, and is being developed jointly with Northrop Grumman, who is funding the project....
, as part of the competition for the USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Hunter-Killer
USAF Hunter-Killer
Hunter-Killer is an unofficial project name based upon an Aviation Week & Space Technology article. When USAF releases an official name, this article will be renamed to suit.The U.S...
competition. If selected, that product would have been flown in 2007.
On February 24, 2005, Proteus became Scaled's first bomber with the release of an inert 500-pound weapon over Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Global Hawk radar
On April 27, 2006, Proteus flight tested a large pod designed to house a developmental version of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion ProgramMulti-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program
The Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program , a U.S. Air Force project led by contractor Northrop Grumman to develop the next generation of airborne air-to-air and air-to-ground radar systems...
, or MP-RTIP. This is a long range, high resolution air-to-ground and air-to-air synthetic aperture radar
Synthetic aperture radar
Synthetic-aperture radar is a form of radar whose defining characteristic is its use of relative motion between an antenna and its target region to provide distinctive long-term coherent-signal variations that are exploited to obtain finer spatial resolution than is possible with conventional...
system being developed for use on the RQ-4 Global Hawk
RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned aerial vehicle used by the United States Air Force and Navy as a surveillance aircraft....
. This pod is, by function of its length and frontal area, one of the largest payloads carried by Proteus to date. Actual flight testing of the MP-RTIP system began in late September, 2006, with initial flight reaching 100 knots (196 km/h) and 22000 feet (6,705.6 m) altitude.
World records
Proteus has set several world altitude records in FAIFédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
Class C-1e, (Landplanes: take off weight 3,000 to 6,000 kg), Group 2, turbojet, including:
- Altitude: piloted by Mike MelvillMike MelvillMichael Winston "Mike" Melvill is one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut and the 434th...
and Robert Waldmiller, 19,277 m, October 25, 2000. - Altitude in horizontal flight: piloted by Mike Melvill and Robert Waldmiller, 19,015 m, October 25, 2000.
- Altitude with 1,000 kg payload: piloted by Mike Melvill and Robert Waldmiller, 17,067 m, October 27, 2000.
Specifications (Proteus)