DFRC Photo #	Photo Date	Image Description
		X-38 Photo Collection Contact Sheet
X-38 Test Craft Completes Highest, Fastest, Longest Flight (DFRC Press Release 01-75)
EC01-0339-33	December 13, 2001	The X-38 Vehicle 131R drops away from its launch pylon on the wing of NASA's NB-52B mothership as it begins its eighth free flight on Thursday, December 13, 2001.
EC01-0339-77	December 13, 2001	The X-38 prototype of the Crew Return Vehicle is suspended under its giant 7,500-square-foot parafoil during its eighth free flight on Thursday, December 13, 2001.
EC01-0339-146	December 13, 2001	The X-38 prototype of the Crew Return Vehicle is suspended under its giant 7,500-square-foot parafoil during its eighth free flight on Thursday, December 13, 2001.
EC01-0340-26	December 13, 2001	NASA engineer Wayne Peterson from the Johnson Space Center reviews postflight checklists following a spectacular flight of the X-38 Vehicle 131R.
EC01-0340-62	December 13, 2001	Skid marks in the lakebed show the landing path after the successful eighth free flight test mission of the NASA X-38.
EC01-0204-85	July 10, 2001	X-38 sails to a landing at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center July 10, 2001
EC01-0204-1	July 10, 2001	NASA's B-52 takes the X-38 aloft for the seventh free flight of the program, July 10, 2001
EC01-0204-3	July 10, 2001	X-38 over the Mojave Desert, July 10, 2001
EC01-0204-2	July 10, 2001	X-38 flies free from NASA's B-52 mothership, July 10, 2001
EC00-0317-52	November 2, 2000	The world's largest parafoil slowly deflates after carrying the X-38, V-131R, to a safe landing
X-38 Vehicle 131R First Free Flight November 2, 2000(DFRC Press Release 00-83)
EC00-0317-154	November 2, 2000	X-38 vehicle #131R during pre-launch with B-52 008 mothership and F-18 chase aircraft
EC00-0317-41	November 2, 2000	X-38 vehicle #131R in first free flight
EC00-0317-47	November 2, 2000	X-38 vehicle #131R landing after first free flight
EC00-0318-1	November 2, 2000	B-52 008 mothership landing on runway 04 at Edwards Air Force Base after first drop flight of X-38 vehicle #131R
X-38 Vehicle 131R Crew Return Vehicle Prototype Arrives at NASA Dryden July 10, 2000(DFRC Press Release 00-50)
EC00-0212-1	July 11, 2000	X-38 vehicle #131R arrives at NASA Dryden via NASA'S Super Guppy transport aircraft
EC00-0212-2	July 11, 2000	X-38 vehicle #131R arrives at NASA Dryden via NASA'S Super Guppy transport aircraft
EC00-0212-16	July 11, 2000	The X-38 vehicle #131R arrives at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
EC00-0212-18	July 11, 2000	The X-38 vehicle #131R arrives at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
X-38 Vehicle 132 Completes Flight Tests, Heads to Berlin Air Show (DFRC Press Release 00-41)
EC00-0147-2	May 2000	X-38 being prepared for shipment
EC00-0147-20	May 2000	X-38 being prepared for shipment
EC00-0147-21	May 2000	X-38 being prepared for shipment
EC00-0147-30	May 2000	X-38 being prepared for shipment
X-38 Intercepts Road Home from Orbit in Successful Flight Test (DFRC Press Release 00-35)
EC00-0096-65	30 Mar 2000	The X-38 second prototype glides to a landing over the lakebed at the end of its fifth flight at Edwards Air Force Base
EC00-0096-72	30 Mar 2000	The X-38 second prototype glides to a landing over the lakebed at the end of its fifth flight at Edwards Air Force Base
EC00-0096-77	30 Mar 2000	The X-38 second prototype flares to a landing over the lakebed at the end of its fifth flight at Edwards Air Force Base
EC00-0097-9	30 Mar 2000	A ground crewman checks over the X-38 second prototype following the lakebed landing of its fifth flight at Edwards Air Force Base
X-38 Construction at NASA Johnson Space Center
EC99-45255-1	Nov 1999	Two X-38 Ship demonstrators in development at NASA Johnson Space Flight Center
EC99-45255-2	Nov 1999	The three main rings of the X-38 Vehicle 201 shown under construction at NASA Johnson Space Flight Center
EC99-45255-10	Nov 1999	X-38 prototype technology demonstrator for the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) and project managers Bob Baron of DFRC and Brian Anderson of JSC
EC99-45255-18	Nov 1999	The first X-38 technology demonstrator (V-131) shown with modifications to the rear to conform more to the shape of the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV)
EC99-45255-19	Nov 1999	A full-size mockup of the cabin for the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) for the International Space Station
EC99-45255-26	Nov 1999	The interior of the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) shows how up to seven astronauts can be carried
X-38 Atmospheric Test Vehicle #132 (Ship #2) Resumes Flight With New Chute (DFRC Press Release 99-21)
EC99-45080-12	09 Jul 1999	X-38 Ship #2 mated to B-52 Mothership in flight
EC99-45080-25	09 Jul 1999	X-38 Ship #2 in free flight after release from B-52 Mothership
EC99-45080-21	09 Jul 1999	X-38 Ship #2 in free flight
EC99-45080-101	09 Jul 1999	X-38 Ship #2 landing on lakebed, completing the program's 4th flight
X-38 Atmospheric Test Vehicle #132 First Flight (DFRC Press Release 99-07)
EC99-44923-102	05 Mar 1999	X-38 vehicle #132 in flight with deployed parafoil during first free flight
EC99-44923-133	05 Mar 1999	X-38 vehicle #132 in flight with deployed parafoil during first free flight
EC99-44923-140	05 Mar 1999	X-38 vehicle #132 in flight with deployed parafoil during first free flight
EC99-44923-147	05 Mar 1999	X-38 vehicle #132 in flight approaching landing during first free flight
EC99-44923-157	05 Mar 1999	X-38 vehicle #132 landing on first free flight
X-38 Atmospheric Test Vehicle #131 Second Free Flight (DFRC Press Release 99-02)
EC99-44888-10	06 Feb 1999	X-38 on lakebed after landing on second free flight
EC99-44888-38	06 Feb 1999	X-38 in flight during second free flight
EC99-44888-41	06 Feb 1999	X-38 in flight during second free flight
EC99-44888-44	06 Feb 1999	X-38 in flight during second free flight
EC99-44888-47	06 Feb 1999	X-38 in flight during second free flight
X-38 Atmospheric Test Vehicle #131 First Free Flight (DFRC Press Release 98-10)
EC98-44452-2	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - First free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44452-3	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - First free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44452-4	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - First free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44452-8	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - First free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44452-9	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - First free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44452-40	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - Landing after first free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44453-6	12 Mar 1998	X-38 - On ground after first free flight, March 12, 1998
EC98-44727-20	1998	X-38 suspended in hangar
EC98-44461-11	16 Mar 1998	X-38 - rear view in hangar
EC97-44319-8	19 Nov 1997	X-38 on B-52 wing pylon - view from observation window
First Captive Carry Flight, July 30, 1997
EC97-44163-16	30 Jul 1997	X-38 - First captive carry flight on B-52
EC97-44163-17	30 Jul 1997	X-38 - First captive carry flight on B-52
EC97-44152-5	16 Jul 1997	Dale Reed with X-38 and a subscale model used in test program
EC97-44105-29	6 Jul 1997	X-38 mounted on pylon of B-52 mothership
Arrival at Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-9	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-12	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-13	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-15	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-16	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-24	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-25	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-44096-32	04 Jun 1997	X-38 arrival at NASA Dryden on June 4, 1997
EC97-43910-1	1997	Closeup of wing fit check of pylon to carry the X-38 on B-52 launch aircraft
EC97-43910-2	1997	Closeup of wing fit check of pylon to carry the X-38 on B-52 launch aircraft
EC97-43910-3	1997	Closeup of wing fit check of pylon to carry the X-38 on B-52 launch aircraft
EC97-43910-4	1997	Closeup of wing fit check of pylon to carry the X-38 on B-52 launch aircraft
ED97-43903-1	1996	X-38: Artist concept of re-entering Earth's atmosphere
Flight Termination System Test
EC96-43844-4	19 Dec 1996	X-38: Plywood mockup of aft end used for flight termination system parachute test
EC96-43868-2	19 Dec 1996	X-38: Parachute canister fired from plywood mockup during flight termination system test
EC96-43868-3	19 Dec 1996	X-38: Parachute canister fired from plywood mockup during flight termination system test
EC96-43868-5	19 Dec 1996	X-38: Parachute canister fired from plywood mockup during flight termination system test
ED97-43879-4	Aug 1996	X-38: Close-up of pyrotechnic firing during test of flight termination system parachute deployment
JSC Shipment Preparation
EC96-43737-9	Aug 1996	X-38 "Lifeboat" side view - ready for shipment to NASA Johnson Space Center
EC96-43737-13	Aug 1996	X-38 "Lifeboat" side view - ready for shipment to NASA Johnson Space Center
EC96-43737-20	Aug 1996	X-38 "Lifeboat" top front view - ready for shipment to NASA Johnson Space Center
EC96-43737-25	Aug 1996	X-38 "Lifeboat" bottom front view - ready for shipment to NASA Johnson Space Center
1995 Model Drop Tests
EC95-43218-10	1995	X-38 Drop Model: Used to test parafoil landing system during drop tests
EC95-43221-3	1995	X-38 Drop Model: Testing parafoil landing system during drop tests
EC95-43223-7	1995	X-38 Drop Model: Glides to earth after being dropped from a Cessna
EC95-43291-1	1995	X-38 Drop Model: Landing sequence collage from Cessna drop test
Fleet Images
EC97-44165-149	16 Jul 1997	Dryden 1997 Research Aircraft Fleet on ramp - X-31, F-15 ACTIVE, SR-71, F-106, F-16XL Ship #2, X-38, and X-36

The X-38 design uses a lifting body concept originally developed by the U.S. Air Force's X-24A project in the mid-1960s.
Following the jettison of a deorbit engine module, the X-38 will glide from orbit unpowered like the Space Shuttle and then use a steerable, parafoil parachute, a technology recently developed by the Army, for its final descent to landing. Its landing gear consists of skids rather than wheels.

Many of the technologies NASA is using have never before been applied to a human spacecraft. The X-38 flight computer is commercial equipment that is already in use in aircraft, and the flight software operating system is a commercial system
already in use in many aerospace applications. The video equipment being used on the atmospheric test vehicles is existing equipment, some of which has already flown on the Space Shuttle for other NASA experiments. The electromechanical actuators that are used on the X-38 come from a previous joint NASA, Air Force and Navy research and development project. A special coating that had already been developed by NASA is planned for use on the X-38 thermal tiles to make them much more
durable than the tiles used on the Space Shuttle. The X-38's primary navigational equipment, the Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System, is a unit already in use on military aircraft.

The first X-38, known as Vehicle 131, arrived at Dryden on June 4, 1997, aboard an Air Force C-17 transport aircraft. Currently, preparations are being made for the captive carry flights scheduled to run throughout the summer.

Full-scale, unpiloted flight tests began in Summer 1997 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, with "captive carry" flights in which the vehicle remained attached to the Dryden's B-52 aircraft. Unpiloted free-flight drop tests from the B-52 are scheduled to begin in the Fall, following the captive-carry flights. NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, is NASA's lead Center for the program.

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