Nasa daily picture for June 27: As the Sun Rises, NASA's Global Hawk is Being Prepared for Flight

Hot summer days in Southern California’s Antelope Valley force many aircraft operations to start early in the morning before the sun rises. On a back ramp at Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, a NASA Global Hawk goes through testing of its communication components and satellite connection links for the International Maritime Satellite Terminal, or Inmarsat, in preparation for flight.
 
With temperatures reaching over 100 degrees, the Global Hawk team arrives at the center by 4 a.m. while electronic components, which are cooled by fuel onboard, can function within temperature limitations. Testing usually ceases by 1 p.m. PDT as fuel and onboard computers become too hot to operate.
 
Inmarsat is a commercial global satellite network that offers mobile satellite communication solutions for maritime, land and aeronautical users. The agency’s Global Hawk uses Inmarsat as one of its command and control links from the ground control station to the aircraft.

Image Credit: NASA/Michael Bereda

Source: www.nasa.gov