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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, ^{[1] [2]} and is leading an SSTO spaceplane effort and a two-stage-to-orbit design conceived to build a " Mir-2" space station. ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}

Purpose

The purpose of this "flying laboratory" is technical data study of hypersonic speeds, which cannot be done with average engines, and other crewed 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 ^[6]

Vehicles associated with the GLL-8

References

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