BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

One of the few areas of research that were handled almost exclusively by the Air Force was studying the physiological responses of the pilots to the demanding flight profiles required for high-performance aircraft. Although NASA monitored the results of the biomedical program, the Air Force was entirely responsible for the conduct of the research.

Before the beginning of the X-15 flight program, a Convair TF – 102A (54-1354, subsequently redesignated JTF-102A) was modified to evaluate the new David Clark MC-2 full-pressure suit (and later the A/P22S-2). The David Clark Company had designed the MC-2 pressure suits with 24 electrical contact points to facilitate connections between the sensors and the telemetry system. The system monitored helmet pressure versus suit-pressure differential, cockpit pressure versus suit pressure differential, body surface temperatures, and electrocardiogram data.

Beginning in December 1958, the Air Force used the JTF-102A to familiarize the X-15 pilots with the MC-2 pressure suit and to develop baseline physiological data for each of the pilots. Researchers also used the aircraft to evaluate additional physiological instrumentation and test the operational suitability of the MC-2 for future weapons systems (unrelated to the X-15). This initial JTF-102 test program lasted several months and eventually accumulated approximately 15 hours of flight time by pilots wearing the MC-2 ensemble, although the Air Force continued to use the JTF-102 through the end of the flight program.-1151