The eR-2 is NASA's "civilian" version of the U-2. "eR" stands for "earth Resource". NASA's eR-2s have tail numbers 806 and 809 (previously 706 and 709). NASA began using the U-2 in 1971 to collect science data. It replaced the U-2s with eR-2s in 1981 and 1989. The aircraft were based at the NASA Ames Research Center until 1997 when they moved to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. The aircraft are platforms for a variety of high-altitude science missions flown all over the world. They are also used for earth science and atmospheric sensor research and development, satellite calibration and data validation. The eR-2s can carry 2,600 pounds of experiments in a nose bay, the main equipment bay behind the cockpit, two wing-mounted superpods and small underbody and trailing edges. Most eR-2 missions last about six hours with ranges of about 2,200 nautical miles at altitudes above 65,000 feet. The aircraft is 63 feet long, with a wingspan of 104 feet. The top of the vertical tail is 16 feet above ground when the aircraft is on the bicycle-type landing gear. Cruising speeds are 410 knots, or 467 miles per hour, at altitude. A single General electric F-118 turbofan engine rated at 17,000 pounds thrust powers the eR-2. For more information see the eR-2 Fact Sheet.

Original Images

Photo Identification: eD99-45286-72, 11.Dec.1999, Tony Landis

(Original images include "label" across bottom.)

Image #1 — High Resolution, JPG
3000 x 2750 pixels – 3,948,742 bytes
www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/eR-2/Large/eD99-45286-72.jpg

Image #2 — Medium Resolution, JPG
1117 x 1023 pixels – 553,031 bytes
www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/eR-2/Medium/eD99-45286-72.jpg

Image #3 — Low Resolution, JPG
524 x 480 pixels – 127,131 bytes
www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/eR-2/Small/eD99-45286-72.jpg

Image #4 — Thumbnail Resolution, GIF
96 x 87 pixels – 9,134 bytes
www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/eR-2/Thumb/eD99-45286-72.gif

Information Page
www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/eR-2/HTML/eD99-45286-72.html

Images On This Page

Thumbnail: 187 x 150 pixels – 8,454 bytes (CRO-75)
 Hi-Res Cutout: 150 x 150 pixels – 2,395 bytes (HRC-30)
Full: 1000 x 800 pixels – 142,469 bytes (CRO-75)

All images on this page derived from original image #1, the high resolution photo.
See this page for info about these derivations.