Besides its primary role as an inflight aircraft refueler, the KC-135, designated NKC-135, has assisted in several research projects at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Okrem svojej hlavnej úlohy tankovacieho lietadla sa lietadlo KC-135, označené ako NKC-135, zúčastnilo niekoľkých výskumných projektov NASA v Dryden Flight Research Center na základni Edwards Air Force Base v Kalifornii.