NASA ERAST Program
NASA's ERAST program advanced high-altitude, long-duration UAVs for science missions.
The Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) program was a NASA initiative to develop cost-effective, slow-flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of performing long-duration science missions at altitudes above 60,000 feet. The program was notable for its public/private partnership structure, the ERAST Alliance, which brought together NASA, the Department of Defense, and several industry partners to advance aeronautical and sensor technologies for upper atmospheric science.
- Program termination
- 2003
- Federal contribution
- $42.2 million
- Private sector contribution
- $30,000 plus in-kind contributions
- Altitude target
- 60,000 to 100,000 ft
- Program start
- 1994
- Managing center
- NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
Lore & Background
The ERAST program was formally initiated in September 1994 as a high-profile item in NASA's agenda, born from earlier efforts including the Small High-Altitude Science Aircraft (SHASA) program and the Perseus UAV design by Aurora Flight Sciences. The program was organized as a public/private partnership under NASA's Joint Sponsored Research Program, with industry partners including Aurora Flight Sciences, AeroVironment, General Atomics, Scaled Composites, Thermo-Mechanical Systems, Hyperspectral Sciences, and Longitude 122 West. The ERAST Alliance used a Joint Sponsored Research Agreement (JSRA) based on NASA's Space Act Agreement Authority, which permitted flexible teaming, cost-sharing, and intellectual property sharing.
Key aircraft developed under ERAST included the AeroVironment Pathfinder, Centurion, and Helios solar- and fuel cell-powered UAVs; the General Atomics ALTUS II, a civilian variant of the MQ-1 Predator; and the Aurora Perseus and Theseus aircraft. The ALTUS II set a single-flight endurance record for remotely operated aircraft of more than 26 hours during an Atmospheric Radiation Measurement study in Oklahoma in October 1996. The program also focused on developing lightweight, microminiaturized sensors for environmental research and Earth monitoring.
Reader's Guide
The ERAST program's significance lies in its demonstration of a successful public/private partnership model for advanced aeronautical technology development. The Joint Sponsored Research Agreement was credited by participants as a key enabler of the program's technical success, allowing rapid progress through cost-sharing and intellectual property sharing. The program advanced technologies for slow-flying, high-altitude UAVs that could collect environmental data for climate change assessment, weather monitoring, and serve as telecommunications relay platforms at a fraction of the cost of satellites. Although formally terminated in 2003, ERAST contributed to the development of sensor technologies, lightweight materials, avionics, and propulsion systems suitable for extreme altitudes and long durations. The program also worked with the Federal Aviation Administration on making operation of remotely operated aircraft in national airspace practical, addressing long-term operational issues.
Did You Know?
- The ERAST program was formally terminated in 2003.
- The ERAST Alliance included industry partners such as Aurora Flight Sciences, AeroVironment, General Atomics, and Scaled Composites.
- The program targeted altitudes of 60,000 to 100,000 feet for long-duration science missions.
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