GLL-8 (Gll-VK) Igla

GLL-8 (GLL-VK), nicknamed "Igla" (eng. needle), is a Russian hypersonic flight flying laboratory. It saw its first flight in 2005. It is part of Russia's ongoing ORYOL-2-1 research programme. Under ORYOL-2-1, the Gromov Flight Research Institute in Moscow has developed two possible Igla designs, and is leading an SSTO spaceplane effort and a two-stage-to-orbit design conceived to build a "Mir-2" space station.

Purpose

The purpose of this "flying laboratory" is technical data study of hypersonic speeds, which cannot be done with average engines, and other manned experimental flight-craft. This study includes the following:

• Aerodynamic properties at hyper sonic speeds
• Maneuverability at different speeds
• G-force effects on fuselage at high speeds
• Scramjet studies

Vehicles associated with the GLL-8

GLL-AP

Vehicle	Speed	Altitude	Length	Mass	Firing duration	Details
GLL-31	Mach 2-9	18–35 km	8 m	3,800 kg	50 s	Aircraft dropped, hydrogen-fueled scramjet engine
GLL-8 (GLL-VK)	Mach 15	70 km	8 m	2,200 kg	20-50 s	Rocket-launched, hydrogen-fueled three-mode scramjet engine
GLL-AP-02	Mach 6	27 km	3 m	550–600 kg	Missing data	Hydrocarbon-based fueled ramjet prototype for high-altitude test stand tests

References

• Russian Spaceweb "Igla" (Russian)
• "Testpilot" page (Russian)