NASA C-20A Enables Missions Advancing Earthquake Science

C-20A crew chief Isac Mata stows metal pins used to secure the landing gear, while Ian Elkin, operations engineer, boards the aircraft to prepare for takeoff from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The aircraft conducted science flights over Central California carrying NASA’s UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar), which collects detailed ground‑movement data to improve earthquake‑hazard models and support a new Earth‑observing satellite.

C-20A crew chief Isac Mata stows metal pins used to secure the landing gear, while Ian Elkin, operations engineer, boards the aircraft to prepare for takeoff from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The aircraft conducted science flights over Central California carrying NASA’s UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar), which collects detailed ground‑movement data to improve earthquake‑hazard models and support a new Earth‑observing satellite.

Photographer NASA/Ryan Kline
Location AFRC
NASA s Armstrong Flight Research CenterAFRCC-20AUninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture RadarUAVSARNISARNASA-ISROearthquake prediction Tropical Synthetic Aperture Radar campaign Edwards Air Force BaseCalifornia