US Rocketplanes XS-1 Also known as the X-1. This rocket plane was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, and the first in a line of X- aircraft leading to the space shuttle. Due to the press of war work, Bell Aircraft was the only company that would take on the project in 1944. German swept-wing research being unknown, the configuration developed was a thin, straight-winged aircraft with a bullet-shaped fuselage. The XS-1 began flight test in 1946 and Chuck Yeager flew it through the sound barrier on October 14, 1947.   MX-324 First U.S. military rocket-powered plane; built by Northrop. X-2 X-2 was an AAF/ Bell project that flew three supersonic flight research aircraft, powered by liquid rockets. Originally designated XS-2. The X-2 was the first swept-wing X rocketplane. It exceeded Mach 3, but in the course of doing so uncovered the supersonic aircraft problem of inertial coupling. On its last flight the aircraft crashed and the pilot was killed.   XP-79 The XP-79 was Jack Northrop's design for a rocket-propelled flying wing fighter. It was also known as the 'flying ram' since the original concept was for the pilot to destroy enemy bombers by slicing through them. Another unique aspect was the rotating 'Aerotojet' XCALR-2000A-1engine design (the more conventional XCALT-6000 was an alternative). Delays in engine development meant the first prototypes were equipped with turbojet engines. After the test pilot was killed in the first flight, the project was abandoned. D-558-1 The D-558-I "Skystreaks" were among the early transonic research airplanes like the X-1, X-4, X-5, and XF-92A. Three of the single-seat, straight-wing aircraft flew in a joint program involving the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), with its flight research done at the NACA's Muroc Flight Test Unit in Calif., redesignated in 1949 the High-Speed Flight Research Station; the Navy-Marine Corps; and the Douglas Aircraft Co. from 1947 to 1953. In the process, the Skystreaks managed to set a couple of world speed records.   XP-92 Delta-wing fighter prototype. Originally it was planned the operational aircraft would be boosted by 6 x 900 kgf RL-11 liquid rocket engines, but the airplane never flew in this configuration. D-558-2 Research airplane Douglas D-558. Airplane had both jet and rocket engines and was flown from ground takeoff. The D-558-II Skyrocket exceeded the speed of sound at Edwards AFB, Calif. It was powered by both a Westinghouse J-34 turbojet engine and a Reaction Motors, Inc. rocket motor. XF-91 The Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor was a mixed-power interceptor, being powered by both a jet engine and by a battery of rocket motors. Although it showed promise, it was not put into production. X-1A The X-1A, B, and D were essentially identical rocketplanes intended to reach speeds above Mach 2. The X-1A and X-1D were destroyed in in-flight explosions; the X-1B survived, training future moon lander Neil Armstrong on its last flights in 1958. Bomi Bell manned skip-glide space bomber project of the 1950's. Predecessor to Dynasoar. X-15A The X-15 was the first USAF and NASA project for manned spaceflight, initiated years before Mercury. The X-15 was to explore the problems of ballistic flight, winged reentry, and gliding recovery from space. It was a stepping stone to later developments - either an X-15 launched atop Navaho G-26 boosters, an X-15 scramjet version, or the X-20 - that would lead to manned orbital spaceflight. This stepping-stone approach was abandoned and the crash programs of Mercury and Apollo initiated instead, using ballistic capsules for crew recovery. Once these projects were over America returned to its original course and developed the winged space shuttle as its manned spacecraft. X-1B The X-1A, B, and D were essentially identical rocketplanes intended to reach speeds above Mach 2. The X-1A and X-1D were destroyed in in-flight explosions; the X-1B survived, training future moon lander Neil Armstrong on its last flights in 1958.   MX-2145 In May 1953 the Air Force funded Boeing to study their MX-2145 boost-glide vehicle as a successor to the B-58 supersonic medium-range bomber. This was a competitor to Bell's BOMI.   X-1D The X-1A, B, and D were essentially identical rocketplanes intended to reach speeds above Mach 2. The X-1A and X-1D were destroyed in in-flight explosions; the X-1B survived, training future moon lander Neil Armstrong on its last flights in 1958. D-558-3 The D-558-3 was a US Navy/Douglas counterpart to the X-15, which would have kept the Navy in the 'space race' and Douglas in the running for future manned spaceplanes. Unfortunately a Rear Admiral Hatcher decided to save the $24 million development cost and let the Air Force develop the less-capable X-15 instead... X-1E The X-1E was designed to test an ultra-thin 4% thickness to cord wing for supersonic flight.   Brass Bell Hypersonic manned reconnaissance spaceplane project of the 1950's. Predecessor to Dynasoar.   Hywards Hypersonic manned test spaceplane project of the 1950's. Predecessor to Dynasoar.   Ames Mach 10 Demonstrator Ames proposed in 1957 to air-launch a high-wing designed hypersonic glider from a B-36 bomber. Early versions would use an XLR-99-powered booster stage and be capable of reaching Mach 6. The final version would be powered by a 68,000 kgf LR-89-NA-1 engine and reach Mach 10. The aircraft would be launched over the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Canaveral and then fly across the southern United States for a landing at Edward AFB in California.   Bell Rocket Transport 1957 Proposed civilian transport version of Bomi rocket bomber. Bell was unable to interest any airlines in putting up the development funds for the project. Dynasoar The X-20A Dyna-Soar (Dynamic Soarer) was a single-pilot manned reusable spaceplane, really the earliest American manned space project to result in development contracts. Cancellation in December 1963 came only eight months before drop tests from a B-52 and a first manned flight in 1966.   FJ-4F The FJ-4F was a US Navy Fury fighter fitted with a Rocketdyne AR1 engine for quick intercept of Soviet bombers. Two prototypes were tested which reached Mach 1.41 at 22 km altitude. NF-104 The NF-104 aerospace trainer was a modified F-104A fighter, incorporating an LR-121 liquid fuel rocket engine in addition to the conventional J-79 turbojet engine. The allowed flight in regimes and conditions not obtainable with available operational airplanes. The aircraft was used to provide spaceflight training at a fraction of the cost of fully rocket-powered research aircraft. Asset One part of the Dynasoar manned spaceplane project was ASSET ( 'Aerothermodynamic Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Tests') . After cancellation of Dynasoar, flights continued of subscale unmanned spaceplanes in order to obtain test data applicable to later vehicles.   Bell Hypersonic Rocket Transport 1960 In March 1960 Bell proposed a revised hypersonic transport design based on its work on boost-glide vehicles during the 1950's. There was no government or airline interest in the concept. FIRST Re-Entry Glider FIRST (Fabrication of Inflatable Re-entry Structures for Test) used an inflatable Rogallo wing for emergency return of space crew from orbit. X-15A-3 It had been proposed that X-15 number 3 would be reworked to install a delta wing and designed to reach Mach 8. SAINT II At the beginning of the 1960's, the USAF examined a number of approaches to a manned spacecraft designed to rendezvous with, inspect, and then, if necessary, destroy enemy satellites. The preferred design was a lifting body, a development line that led eventually to the X-24C spaceplane. The project was quickly squelched by USAF X-20 Dyna-Soar advocates (or possibly it went deep black). Alternatives publicly mentioned as replacements for the mission were the Dynasoar with special payload provisions, or Gemini variants with combat provisions. Convair Shuttlecraft Convair concept for a winged shuttle vehicle, early 1960's. Douglas Astro The Douglas "Astro" was a VTHL TSTO system designed for launching space station crews and cargo by the 1968-70 period. A key requirement was that off-the-shelf technologies must be used, e.g. existing M-1, J-2 and RL-10 engines from the Saturn and Nova expendable launch vehicle programs.   Martin Astrorocket Early two-stage-to-orbit shuttle study, using storable propellants, Dynasoar-configuration delta wing orbiter. Astrocommuter The Lockheed Astrocommuter was a 1963 design for a manned space shuttle that would use the Saturn 1B as a first stage. Although the engineer who designed it was confident that the vehicle could be developed and made operational in a short time, his project never gained much interest from NASA, the USAF, or even from his superiors at Lockheed. Lockheed RTTOCV In 1962 NASA funded studies with several contractors on Operations and Logistics for Space Stations. Lockheed proposed a two-stage winged vehicle based on a 1958 contract conducted together with Hughes under a classified Air Force program. The booster would be vertically launched but land horizontally at conventional airfields. Lockheed Space Taxi Lockheed investigated the economics of reusable launch vehicles for crews and light space station cargo during the early 1960s. Lockheed proposed a new reusable 10-man spaceplane as a follow-on to the Apollo CSM.   McDonnell Spaceplane 1963 In June 1962 NASA funded studies with several contractors on Operations and Logistics for Space Stations. McDonnell's study was dated 20 March 1963 and proposed three alternatives, all of which could be boosted by either a Titan 3M or Saturn IB Launch Vehicle, and all of which would be equipped with aft-mounted docking systems. The first two were variants of McDonnell's Gemini capsule, but the third was a new winged spaceplane, capable of accommodating two crew plus four passengers. NAA RTTOCV North American Aviation's Reusable Ten Ton Orbital Carrier Vehicle design of 1963 had as a standard payload a lenticular 12-man orbital transfer vehicle spaceplane for space station logistics and crew transfer. Re-Entry Glider-Six Crew A six-man parasail escape system was studied as an elaboration of the single-crew system. It was to provide rescue from manned spacecraft as well as stations. The system would have essentially the same flight characteristics, but a smaller-diameter higher-pressure inflatable structure was proposed. It would be a 'hotter' aircraft, with triple the wing loading. Reusable Orbital Carrier The Reusable Orbital Carrier (ROC) was a 1964 Lockheed study of a sled-launched HTHL TSTO. The second stage orbiter rocketplane would use Lox/LH2 propulsion to orbit and make an unpowered glide return and landing. The vehicle could deliver ten passengers+3000kg to a space station.   Isinglass CIA air-launched, rocket-powered high speed manned vehicle project of 1965-1968 that developed basic technologies used in later shuttle and reusable launch vehicle programs.   Janus This TRW design of 1965 used a unique concept - a lifting body main stage, that provided both ascent propulsion and re-entry protection. X-15A-2 The crash-damaged X-15 number 2 was rebuilt to attain even higher speeds. The body frame was stretched, and two drop tanks were added, increasing propellant load by 75%. An ablative heat shield was applied to protect the spaceplane during re-entry. The X-15A-2 reached the highest speeds and altitudes of any manned spaceplane until the space shuttle entered service. HL-10 The HL-10 was the favored lifting body configuration of NASA Langley in the 1960's. It reached Mach 1.86 and 27,700 m during its flight tests. This configuration was found to be the best of the lifting bodies, and it was used in several of the orbiter proposals in NASA's Phase A and Phase B shuttle design studies. It was also very similar to the winning X-33 configuration proposed by the Lockheed. Purportedly an unmanned test vehicle of this design was tested at orbital speeds by the US Air Force in a black Lockheed Skunk Work's project, possibly on two Titan 3B / Agena D launches in 1972. M2-F2 The least stable of the lifting body designs. The 'flying bathtub' had a rounded belly / flat top layout as opposed to the flat belly / rounded top of the other designs. The M2-F2 crashed on 10 May 1967, seriously injuring the test pilot (the footage became familiar to millions when it was used in the opening credits of the television series 'The Six Million Dollar Man'). Prime The Prime (Precision Recovery Including Maneuvering Entry) project was the second part of the USAF START program. The purpose of START was to develop and demonstrate the technology for maneuvering lifting-body re-entry vehicles with a cross range of up to 1100 km. Planned applications included ICBM warheads, reconnaissance satellite film recovery capsules, and manned spacecraft. The X-23 Prime was a subscale re-entry test vehicle of the SV-5D lifting body configuration planned for the X-24A manned aerodynamic test aircraft. In three suborbital launches the robot vehicle demonstrated the full planned cross range maneuver, and the problems involved in using spray-on ablative heat shields. Boost Glide Re-entry Vehicle The Boost Glide Re-entry Vehicle investigated related technological problems, particularly hypersonic maneuvering after re-entry into the atmosphere. The test was flown on 26 February 1968 from Vandenberg AFB, California to the area of Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean. It was launched from an Atlas missile booster and served to provide much data on hypersonic maneuvering flight characteristics. This data was of great value in developing later maneuvering re-entry vehicles. Upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, flight control was achieved through the use of the aft trim flares and a reaction jet system commanded from an on-board inertial guidance system instead of by aerodynamic controls. X-24A The X-24A was the Martin Corporation's subsonic test version of the US Air Force's preferred manned lifting body configuration. This was flat-bellied with canted vertical stabilizers at the end of the rounded upper body. It was of the same configuration as the subscale X-23 Prime vehicle tested on suborbital flights in 1966 - 1967. M2-F3 The crashed M2-F2 was rebuilt as the M2-F3 with enlarged vertical stabilizers. Maximum speed achieved was Mach 1.6, top altitude 21,800 m. The final X-30 National Aerospace Plane configuration seemed to owe much to the M2.   Mini-shuttle In August 1972 it was proposed to test a subscale version of the shuttle to test the aerodynamics. The 13,750 kg vehicle would be 11 m long and have a wingspan of 7 m. Air dropped from an NB-52 carrier aircraft, it would use the XLR-99 engine developed for the X-15 to boost it to over Mach 5. X-38 Lifting body reentry vehicle designed as emergency return spacecraft for International Space Station crew. Configuration based on earlier USAF X-24A but nose shows influence of Soviet Spiral design. The X-38 was designed for indefinite in-orbit storage, using cold nitrogen gas for attitude control. It reached the stage of paraglider drop tests before NASA funding dried up. Space Cruiser The space cruiser was a US Navy design for a single-place crewed space interceptor designed to destroy Soviet satellites used to track the location of US warships. X-24B The X-24B was used by the US Air Force to explore the supersonic and subsonic handling characteristics of the FDL-7 and FDL-8 hypersonic configurations which promised to double the hypersonic L/D ratio of the original X-24A. It was air dropped from the NB-52 carrier aircraft and reached Mach 1.76 and 22,400 m altitude during its test program. By the time the test series had started the USAF had been forced to accept the NASA space shuttle for its future manned space ambitions and had dropped plans for a Titan-launched manned spaceplane. Enterprise Enterprise was the first Space Shuttle Orbiter. It was rolled out on September 17, 1976. Not equipped with a heat shield or subsystems for space flight, it was instead used in the nine-month-long ALT program from February through November 1977 to prove the shuttle's subsonic flight and landing characteristics. Plans to refurbish it as a space-capable orbiter were scrapped, and instead it had a subsequent career as a pathfinder vehicle at launch facilities, a test vehicle for brakes and parachute systems, and a museum piece. X-24C Two X-24C NHFRF (National Hypersonic Flight Research Facility) aircraft were to be built under a $ 200 million budget. They would fly 200 flights over ten years, reaching a maximum speed of Mach 8 and being able to cruise at over Mach 6 for 40 seconds. They were cancelled in 1977 after budget overruns. Columbia Columbia, the first orbiter in the Shuttle fleet, was named after the sloop that accomplished the first American circumnavigation of the globe. The command module for Apollo 11, the first lunar landing mission, also bore the name. Following 26 missions Columbia underwent a major overhaul beginning in late 1999. The updated Columbia first flew in 2002 on the STS-109 mission to update and repair the Hubble telescope. The second mission, STS-107 in January 2003, concluded with the loss of the spacecraft and its crew during re-entry. Challenger Challenger, the second space shuttle orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center, was named after an American Naval research vessel that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during the 1870's. The Apollo 17 lunar module also carried the name of Challenger. The Challenger flew nine missions before it was destroyed together with its crew in the explosion of mission STS-51-L on 28 January 1986.   TAV USAF program of the 1980's that reached the test hardware stage and was leading to a single-stage-to-orbit, rocket-powered, winged manned vehicle. Halted in favor of the X-30 National Aerospace Plane. Discovery Discovery, the third orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center, was named after one of two ships used by the British explorer James Cook in the 1770s during voyages in the South Pacific that led to the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. Empty Weight was 68,670 kg at rollout and 77,550 kg with main engines installed. Sortie Vehicle     Copper Canyon DARPA program of 1984 that proved the technologies and concept for the X-30 National Aerospace Plane concept. Atlantis The space shuttle Atlantis was the fourth orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center, and the last of the original production run. It was named after the primary research vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to 1966. Empty Weight was 68,600 kg at rollout and 77,550 kg with main engines installed. NASA ACRV The early Space Station proposals assumed the facility would be equipped with a 'safe haven' where the crew would wait for a rescue Shuttle in case of emergency. After the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger accident, it became obvious that some sort of 'lifeboat' would have to be added.... HL-20 The HL-20 was a NASA Langley design for a manned spaceplane as a backup to the space shuttle (in case it was abandoned or grounded) and as a CERV (Crew Emergency Return Vehicle) for the Freedom space station. Also known as the ACRV (Assured Crew Return Vehicle) or PLS (Personnel Launch System). the HL-29 was a lifting body re-entry vehicle based on the Russian BOR-4 design. It was designed for two flight crew, eight passengers, and piloted landing at airfield on landing gear. The HL-20 was studied by contractors and a full size mock-up was built. However the design was not selected for further development. Soyuz was designated as the International Space Station CERV. When doubts about the availability of Soyuz developed in 1995, NASA proceeded with development of the X-38, a NASA Johnson concept - a smaller version of the X-24 lifting body with a parafoil. X-30   Endeavour Endeavour, the space shuttle built as a replacement after the loss of the Challenger, was named after the first ship commanded by James Cook. Empty Weight was 68.574 kg at rollout and 78,000 kg with main engines installed. HGV The Hypersonic Glide Vehicle was a USAF project discussed openly in 1987 to 1988, which may have flown as a black project in 1992-1993. A model of the General Dynamics concept for the vehicle was shown at the Air Force Association show in 1987. Martin Marietta was an associated or competing contractor. The HGV resurrected the Dynasoar boost-glide bomber concept of the 1950's. A booster would accelerate the HGV to Mach 18 and an altitude of 80 km. It would then enter a long glide, coming over its selected target at Mach 5 at 30 km altitude. An HGV launched by a Minuteman would have a range of 15,000 km; air-launched from a B-1 or B-52, a 7,400 km range.   Black Colt Winged, first stage of a launch vehicle using aerial refueling and existing engines. Takes off from runway; rendezvous with tanker to load oxidizer; then flies to Mach 12/150 nm to release Star 48V second stage and 450 kg payload. In comparison to Black Horse, uses existing engines and a much more achievable mass fraction by only flying to half orbital speed. Black Horse Winged, single stage to orbit launch vehicle using aerial refueling and lower performance, non-cryogenic propellants. Takes off from runway at 22,000 kg gross weight; rendezvous with tanker to load 66,760 kg oxidizer; then flies to orbit. X-34   HL-42 The HL-42 was a reusable, lifting body manned spacecraft designed to be placed into low-Earth orbit by an expendable booster. Despite extensive study of the concept by NASA Langley in the early 1980's, it was seen as a threat to the shuttle and went no further than the mock-up stage. X-43 NASA's X-43 Hyper-X program demonstrated an integrated hypersonic scramjet engine briefly at Mach 10 on its third and final flight. However the program was delayed for three years after the first launch failed due to miscalculation of maximum aerodynamic loads during acceleration to scramjet ignition speed. Roton The Roton was a piloted commercial space vehicle design intended to provide rapid and routine access to orbit for both its two-person crew and their cargo. The Roton was a fully reusable, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) space vehicle designed to transport up to 3200 kg to and from a 300 km / 50 degree inclination earth orbit. X-37 The Boeing X-37 Space Maneuver Vehicle was a subscale version of a putative USAF 21st Century spaceplane. The smaller-scale X-40 tested some technologies prior to completion of the X-37. X-40 Boeing X-40A Experimental Space Maneuver Vehicle was built to test landing technologies for the later X-37.   Astroliner The Kelly Space & Technology Astroliner Space Launch System was a two-stage-to-orbit, towed space launch concept. Towing an aerodynamic vehicle to an altitude of 6,000 m yielded higher system performance due to vacuum engine performance, reduced drag and gravity losses, and aerodynamic lift during flight.   Pathfinder Pioneer Rocketplane planned in the late 1990's to produce the Pathfinder aerial propellant transfer spaceplane. Pathfinder was a two-seat fighter-bomber-sized aircraft powered by two turbofan engines and one kerosene/oxygen-burning RD-120 rocket engine. Blackstar In March 2006 Aviation Week and Space Technology made the astounding claim that the United States had developed a reusable two-stage-two-orbit manned spacecraft in the 1990's, dubbed Blackstar, and flown it on numerous orbital and suborbital missions. The system was said to be out of service by 2005. If this system actually existed and was flown, the history of manned spaceflight would have to be revised.   Venturestar Production reusable single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle using technology developed in X-33 testbed. Rocketplane XP The Rocketplane XP Vehicle was a proposed suborbital manned spaceplane with accommodations for four crew. The vehicle would take off from a conventional airfield using turbojets, then use a rocket engine to accelerate to 1100 m/s, which would allow it to zoom to 100 kilometers and provide three to four minutes of zero-G. Dream Chaser A six-passenger human space transport system announced in 2006 by SpaceDev, based on the ten-passenger HL-20 Personnel Launch System developed by NASA Langley in the 1980's. Dream Chaser was to service the commercial space tourism market, and provide NASA with routine, safe and affordable crew access to the International Space Station after the retirement of the shuttle in 2010. Xerus Suborbital vehicle that XCOR planned to design and build on a commercial basis. Rocket powered, it would take off from a runway, and be capable of high altitude, high speed flight. It could be used to take passengers or microgravity experiments on suborbital flights up to 100 km altitude, or as the first stage of a launch vehicle that could place 10 kg satellites into orbit. Cost objective was $ 500,000 per flight.                   Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments. Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site.. To contact astronauts or cosmonauts. © Mark Wade, 1997 - 2007 except where otherwise noted.

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