Quote from: Rocket Science on 11/15/2017 04:23 pmQuote from: vt_hokie on 11/15/2017 03:35 pmIs that HL-20 mockup still at SNC?AFAIK, maybe LeeJay can confirm...There's a DreamChaser mockup on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. https://wingsmuseum.org/portfolio/dream-chaser/My google-fu doesn't seem to be able to find where the HL-20 mockup built at LaRC is now.
Quote from: vt_hokie on 11/15/2017 03:35 pmIs that HL-20 mockup still at SNC?AFAIK, maybe LeeJay can confirm...
Is that HL-20 mockup still at SNC?
Quote from: whitelancer64 on 11/15/2017 05:04 pmQuote from: Rocket Science on 11/15/2017 04:23 pmQuote from: vt_hokie on 11/15/2017 03:35 pmIs that HL-20 mockup still at SNC?AFAIK, maybe LeeJay can confirm...There's a DreamChaser mockup on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. https://wingsmuseum.org/portfolio/dream-chaser/My google-fu doesn't seem to be able to find where the HL-20 mockup built at LaRC is now.Nice find, that looks to be her! https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/HL-20.html
Left landing gear looks a bit twitchy at 2m01s. Aggressive ABS maybe?https://twitter.com/sierranevcorp/status/930180794428952576
Amongst the other real photos at https://www.sncorp.com/news-resources/media-resources/, I was amused to see that the "Dream Chaser Cockpit Flight Simulator" pic is merely a wire-frame CAD render of a cockpit simulator with p'shopped Garmin G1000 sim pics dropped in for good measure. (A simulation of a simulator?) The pic is a few years old.. haven't they built a real cockpit simulator yet?
Quote from: CameronD on 11/16/2017 09:34 pmAmongst the other real photos at https://www.sncorp.com/news-resources/media-resources/, I was amused to see that the "Dream Chaser Cockpit Flight Simulator" pic is merely a wire-frame CAD render of a cockpit simulator with p'shopped Garmin G1000 sim pics dropped in for good measure. (A simulation of a simulator?) The pic is a few years old.. haven't they built a real cockpit simulator yet?If you're referring to this picture:https://www.sncorp.com/media/1937/sncs-dream-chaser-cockpit-flight-simulator.pngThat's not a render. There are a ton of details that nobody would bother to model or texture, such as crooked cuts in the paneling, 3M tape used to hold the glass panels on, and dirt smudges on the black center panel.
Quote from: envy887 on 11/17/2017 03:08 amQuote from: CameronD on 11/16/2017 09:34 pmAmongst the other real photos at https://www.sncorp.com/news-resources/media-resources/, I was amused to see that the "Dream Chaser Cockpit Flight Simulator" pic is merely a wire-frame CAD render of a cockpit simulator with p'shopped Garmin G1000 sim pics dropped in for good measure. (A simulation of a simulator?) The pic is a few years old.. haven't they built a real cockpit simulator yet?If you're referring to this picture:https://www.sncorp.com/media/1937/sncs-dream-chaser-cockpit-flight-simulator.pngThat's not a render. There are a ton of details that nobody would bother to model or texture, such as crooked cuts in the paneling, 3M tape used to hold the glass panels on, and dirt smudges on the black center panel.Ok.. my bad. Maybe there's not enough resolution on my monitor to pick those fine details up. ..but if it's a real simulator, why the modified G1000 sim views on what are, presumably, touchscreens? No real software yet??
DC trying to thumb a ride from a passing SRB?
I've been thinking about the final wheels stop position of Dream Chaser since the test. She tracked straight under hard braking with no problems and only veered right at the end of the roll-out. Was this possibly a test to steer clear off an active runway? The claim is that she can land at any airport that can handle a 737... Just musing...
Both are plausible. I doubt a strong crosswind was a factor this time, but without nose steering could it be somewhat susceptible to getting blown off the centerline as the speed drops?
Quote from: Rocket Science on 11/19/2017 06:54 pmI've been thinking about the final wheels stop position of Dream Chaser since the test. She tracked straight under hard braking with no problems and only veered right at the end of the roll-out. Was this possibly a test to steer clear off an active runway? The claim is that she can land at any airport that can handle a 737... Just musing...If it's related to the apparent left wheel shimmy at all then, just possibly... brake fade.And it's for this reason I'm not sure you'd want to steer an unpowered vehicle off of a straight line trajectory (eg. onto a taxiway after the landing roll), because, sans nose-wheel, it's not guaranteed that you'd make the turn.
Quote from: CameronD on 11/19/2017 09:28 pmQuote from: Rocket Science on 11/19/2017 06:54 pmI've been thinking about the final wheels stop position of Dream Chaser since the test. She tracked straight under hard braking with no problems and only veered right at the end of the roll-out. Was this possibly a test to steer clear off an active runway? The claim is that she can land at any airport that can handle a 737... Just musing...If it's related to the apparent left wheel shimmy at all then, just possibly... brake fade.And it's for this reason I'm not sure you'd want to steer an unpowered vehicle off of a straight line trajectory (eg. onto a taxiway after the landing roll), because, sans nose-wheel, it's not guaranteed that you'd make the turn.Agreed... I've never landed anything with a nose skid and two wheeled gear so I'm a bit uncertain how it would handle a turn with the drag on the skid and differential braking on one side to turn. Like I said just musing if this was part of the test with their wish to land at airports anywhere and not tie up the runway. Would be nice to get a definitive answer though...
Quote from: Rocket Science on 11/19/2017 11:25 pmQuote from: CameronD on 11/19/2017 09:28 pmQuote from: Rocket Science on 11/19/2017 06:54 pmI've been thinking about the final wheels stop position of Dream Chaser since the test. She tracked straight under hard braking with no problems and only veered right at the end of the roll-out. Was this possibly a test to steer clear off an active runway? The claim is that she can land at any airport that can handle a 737... Just musing...If it's related to the apparent left wheel shimmy at all then, just possibly... brake fade.And it's for this reason I'm not sure you'd want to steer an unpowered vehicle off of a straight line trajectory (eg. onto a taxiway after the landing roll), because, sans nose-wheel, it's not guaranteed that you'd make the turn.Agreed... I've never landed anything with a nose skid and two wheeled gear so I'm a bit uncertain how it would handle a turn with the drag on the skid and differential braking on one side to turn. Like I said just musing if this was part of the test with their wish to land at airports anywhere and not tie up the runway. Would be nice to get a definitive answer though... Sure... From what we've seen it sure seems they would be able to land at any airport that can handle a 737.Even with a nose skid, they'd need not tie up the runway for more than a couple of minutes if they had their tow vehicle standing by. Hook on the tow-bar/dolly, brakes off and away they go...in less time than it would take a following aircraft to go around.This last landing test is impressive on more than a few counts.