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 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