Engineers prepare the ER-2 for airborne science mission, GLOVE

A team of experts prepares the ER-2 aircraft at Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California for the GSFC Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) in February 2025. Aircraft mechanic Darick Alvarez-Alonzo installs a satellite-simulating instrument which will fly at high altitudes on the ER-2 to validate satellite-borne data. As a collaboration between engineers, scientists, and aircraft professionals, GLOVE aims to improve satellite data products for Earth Science applications.

A team of experts prepares the ER-2 aircraft at Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California for the GSFC Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) in February 2025. Aircraft mechanic Darick Alvarez-Alonzo installs a satellite-simulating instrument which will fly at high altitudes on the ER-2 to validate satellite-borne data. As a collaboration between engineers, scientists, and aircraft professionals, GLOVE aims to improve satellite data products for Earth Science applications.

Photographer NASA/Steve Freeman
Location AFRC
AFRCNASA Armstrong Flight Research CenterNASA s ER-2Airborne Science programscience missionscience researchEarth ScienceNASA Ames Research CenterARCNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGSFCNaval University of IowaUniversity of MarylandNaval research LaboratoryScience Systems and Applications Inc