Documents / Report
This Defense Intelligence Reference Document, prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency and dated 8 March 2010, was produced under the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications (AAWSA) Program. It gives a historical and technical review of how to reach space and return. It covers hypersonic gliders, air-breathing and rocket propulsion, thermodynamics and materials, and launch options. It argues that reliable, schedulable access to low Earth orbit is mainly a hardware and propulsion problem rather than a technology one.
“Lockheed”5 pages
UNCLASSIFIED//FIHl 8FFHil.t.k Wfili IH.k\f transpiration cooled with a low-rate water-porous spherical nose. The sharp leading edges (the same leading edge radius was used for the nose tip) were liquid-metal heat pipes. This approach was tested successfully during the 1964-68 timeframe and was found to be equal in weight and far more durable than a comparable ceramic tile/carbon-carbon system. The AFFDL's experience with carbon-carbon leading edges on the ASSET test vehicle convinced the Air Force it needed a more durable solution. Figure 12 compares the FDL-7C/D and the McDonnell Douglas Model 176. The Model 176 had a power law nose that was essentially a curved spatular nose and a higher sweep angle, resulting in the same usable volume but with a higher hypersonic L/D. Sacrificed were the flat-panel thermal-protection shingles over part of the fore body. Both configurations retained the X-tail configuration developed by Gil Gaumer of McDonnell Douglas. At the time, the launch vehicle would have been a Martin Titan IIIC. Had an engine with the performance of the Pratt & Whitney XLR-129 been available, there would have been lateral recoverable, fuel/oxidizer tanks on either side of the vehicle, with all of the engines installed in the hypersonic glider. This was similar to the Lockheed Star Clipper (see Figure 38). liE!l B:!lll IElill 5 meters Model 176 Modified ✓/ I - - I " circa 1962 1-H &\ii\i l&ffi 5 meters / ', FDL-7 C/D Modified circa 1964 Figure 12. Comparison of FDL-7C/D (top) and Model 176 (bottom) 13 UNCLASSIFIED//FQII. QFFlliil,t k llili &•lk¥
Not linked to a story yet.
Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 56 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.