Coober Pedy had a rather unusual visitor overhead today, Monday 9 November — although you could be forgiven for missing it.

At a reported 47,000 feet, NASA’s WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft was hardly making a low pass down Hutchison Street. That is roughly 14 kilometres up, putting this particular sightseeing opportunity firmly in the “easier to spot on a flight tracker” category.
and flying under the call sign NASA926, was observed on flight tracking over the Coober Pedy area. A Gulfstream, identified on the tracker as GLF5, was also noted at around 41,000 feet, appearing to follow a similar course.

Quite the unusual pair above our patch of outback.

NASA926 is part of a rare deployment to South Australia. *Australian Aviation* reported on 2 November that the research aircraft and two United States Missile Defense Agency Gulfstream G550 aircraft had arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh via Darwin.

That does not establish that the Gulfstream observed near Coober Pedy today was one of those aircraft, or that it was “tailing” the NASA plane. Without its registration or call sign, its identity and role remain unconfirmed.

So, what is NASA doing up there?

Aviation reports have linked the deployment to possible hypersonic missile testing at the Woomera Test Range. However, the precise purpose has not been publicly confirmed in the reporting reviewed by the Bush Telegraph. NASA’s public schedule lists aircraft 926 on an assignment described simply as “Imagery Support (Placeholder)” from 25 October to 23 November. That entry does not identify a particular test or location.

Whatever its assignment, this is an aircraft built for working well above the everyday traffic.

NASA says the WB-57 can operate above 63,000 feet, remain airborne for approximately six-and-a-half hours and carry specialist research equipment. Its two crew members are a pilot and a sensor equipment operator. NASA maintains three of the aircraft, based at Ellington Field near Houston, Texas.

For a town where visitors usually come to see what is underground, having NASA working kilometres overhead makes a welcome change of perspective.

Did you see it — or, more realistically, did you spot it on your flight tracker?

If you caught a photograph, a contrail or a screenshot of the aircraft’s route, share it with the Bush Telegraph. A screenshot showing the nearby Gulfstream’s call sign or registration could also help identify today’s other high-flying visitor.

Keep an eye out, Coober Pedy.

Perhaps keep the flight-tracking app open as well.