About advanced X-15 projects.

[DiggyCoxwell]

Some of you know that I have a fondness for the historical X-15 program, and I suspect that the engineers behind the project
had plans to use the X-15 to air-launch a multistage booster
to put a small satellite in orbit.
But my research has failed to find any reliable website information
to confirm my speculation.   

I can't find anything in astronautix.com about advanced
X-15 projects that came to nought.

[Jim]

Some of you know that I have a fondness for the historical X-15 program, and I suspect that the engineers behind the project
had plans to use the X-15 to air-launch a multistage booster
to put a small satellite in orbit.
But my research has failed to find any reliable website information
to confirm my speculation.   

No speculation required.   It was and it is documented in many books.   It was dismissed because there was more utility in trying to put the actual X-15 into orbit.

[Danny Dot]

If the Air Force had any such plans, it would have been a very different design that the X-15. 

I would love to see more information on what they were planning.

Danny Deger

[Hoonte]

If you would like to read some more on the X-15 I suggest you read this

http://history.nasa.gov/monograph18.pdf

[simcosmos]

DiggyCoxwell: if you like X-15 you might enjoy a series of addons made for Orbiter simulator (ProjectX15201+02+03.zip):
http://orbithangar.com/searchauth.php?search=projectx-15

Even if not installing the addons, the nice flight manual(s) inside those zips (01+03) might provide a good reading

António

[Lawntonlookirs]

If you would like to read some more on the X-15 I suggest you read this

http://history.nasa.gov/monograph18.pdf

Brings back a lot of memories about the X series.  Thanks for the link.

[DiggyCoxwell]

DiggyCoxwell: if you like X-15 you might enjoy a series of addons made for Orbiter simulator (ProjectX15201+02+03.zip):
http://orbithangar.com/searchauth.php?search=projectx-15

Even if not installing the addons, the nice flight manual(s) inside those zips (01+03) might provide a good reading

António

Good link. Thanks

[DiggyCoxwell]

If you would like to read some more on the X-15 I suggest you read this

http://history.nasa.gov/monograph18.pdf

Thanks.
BTW, when I was a lad, I read a series of books
on the space adventures of a fictional NASA astronaut named "Mike Mars" that were available in my elementary school library.
One of the books had "Mike Mars" fly an X-15 with an attached booster to launch a small satellite into orbit to battle them 'evil Rooskies'. ;-)

[Hoonte]

If you would like to read some more on the X-15 I suggest you read this

http://history.nasa.gov/monograph18.pdf

Thanks.
BTW, when I was a lad, I read a series of books
on the space adventures of a fictional NASA astronaut named "Mike Mars" that were available in my elementary school library.
One of the books had "Mike Mars" fly an X-15 with an attached booster to launch a small satellite into orbit to battle them 'evil Rooskies'. ;-)

http://thethunderchild.com/Books/MikeMars/X15.html

:-)

[Vahe231991]

If you would like to read some more on the X-15 I suggest you read this

http://history.nasa.gov/monograph18.pdf

Hi,

It may be tempting not to post on thread as it is 13 years old, but there's a related thread regarding a proposal to launch the delta wing X-15 from the XB-70 Valkyrie:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=33527.0

There was also a project for an advanced scramjet-powered X-15 derivative. Had it been built and flown, it would have been the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft in history and therefore light-years ahead of the X-43, even faster than the SR-71 Blackbird and perhaps a bit faster than the baseline X-15.

[laszlo]

Another good link

X-15 Extending the Frontiers of Flight

 https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/470842main_X_15_Frontier_of_Flight.pdf

[mlorrey]

If you would like to read some more on the X-15 I suggest you read this

http://history.nasa.gov/monograph18.pdf

Hi,

It may be tempting not to post on thread as it is 13 years old, but there's a related thread regarding a proposal to launch the delta wing X-15 from the XB-70 Valkyrie:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=33527.0

There was also a project for an advanced scramjet-powered X-15 derivative. Had it been built and flown, it would have been the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft in history and therefore light-years ahead of the X-43, even faster than the SR-71 Blackbird and perhaps a bit faster than the baseline X-15.

The X-15 attempted to test a SCRAMjet model on its ventral tail on one of its flights, the plasma from the shock wave compression cut the model off its plyon and most of the dorsal fin along with it. The plane almost crashed.

[Jim]

The X-15 attempted to test a SCRAMjet model on its ventral tail on one of its flights, the plasma from the shock wave compression cut the model off its plyon and most of the dorsal fin along with it. The plane almost crashed.

It was a mockup and the dorsal fin was not cut off nor did the plan almost crash.

[Nomadd]

The X-15 attempted to test a SCRAMjet model on its ventral tail on one of its flights, the plasma from the shock wave compression cut the model off its plyon and most of the dorsal fin along with it. The plane almost crashed.

It was a mockup and the dorsal fin was not cut off nor did the plan almost crash.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/Speeches/x-15_speech/x15-6spch.html

"Charring of the ablative coating occurred in many areas of the X-15, but more serious damage occurred where the wake of the dummy ramjet impinged on the vertical fin.
Portions of the skin of the ventral were burned through and there were substantial damage to substructure and to subsystems enclosed in the ventral fin. The X-15A was returned to the North American factory at El Segundo for repair. Before the repair of the damaged structure was complete the X-15 program was canceled. The X-15A never flew again and the working ramjet was never flight-tested."

[Jim]

The X-15 attempted to test a SCRAMjet model on its ventral tail on one of its flights, the plasma from the shock wave compression cut the model off its plyon and most of the dorsal fin along with it. The plane almost crashed.

It was a mockup and the dorsal fin was not cut off nor did the plan almost crash.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/Speeches/x-15_speech/x15-6spch.html

"Charring of the ablative coating occurred in many areas of the X-15, but more serious damage occurred where the wake of the dummy ramjet impinged on the vertical fin.
Portions of the skin of the ventral were burned through and there were substantial damage to substructure and to subsystems enclosed in the ventral fin. The X-15A was returned to the North American factory at El Segundo for repair. Before the repair of the damaged structure was complete the X-15 program was canceled. The X-15A never flew again and the working ramjet was never flight-tested."

I have the actual flight test report.  Again, the fin was not "cut off" nor was there danger of a crash.

[Vahe231991]

The X-15 attempted to test a SCRAMjet model on its ventral tail on one of its flights, the plasma from the shock wave compression cut the model off its plyon and most of the dorsal fin along with it. The plane almost crashed.

It was a mockup and the dorsal fin was not cut off nor did the plan almost crash.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/Speeches/x-15_speech/x15-6spch.html

"Charring of the ablative coating occurred in many areas of the X-15, but more serious damage occurred where the wake of the dummy ramjet impinged on the vertical fin.
Portions of the skin of the ventral were burned through and there were substantial damage to substructure and to subsystems enclosed in the ventral fin. The X-15A was returned to the North American factory at El Segundo for repair. Before the repair of the damaged structure was complete the X-15 program was canceled. The X-15A never flew again and the working ramjet was never flight-tested."

I have the actual flight test report.  Again, the fin was not "cut off" nor was there danger of a crash.

I have an important question. Given that the X-43 hypersonic air-breathing technology demonstrator was constructed using  silicon carbide-coated carbon/carbon materials for hypersonic flight, what materials were intended by North American to be used in the construction of the proposed scramjet-powered X-15 design study?

[Michel Van]

Some of you know that I have a fondness for the historical X-15 program, and I suspect that the engineers behind the project
had plans to use the X-15 to air-launch a multistage booster
to put a small satellite in orbit.
But my research has failed to find any reliable website information
to confirm my speculation.   

I can't find anything in astronautix.com about advanced
X-15 projects that came to nought.

That's Ford Blue Scout proposal 1961 
a NB-52 carry a X-15 with modified RM-89 Blue Scout rocket
At 42000 ft. the X-15 is drop and start it engine
At 130,000 and 200,000 feet the X-15 engine shutdown and Pilot activate the Blue scout and fire it.
expected to launch 150 pounds into a 115-mile orbit, or 60 pounds into a 1,150-mile orbit. (from US west coast)

Source:
http://www.citizensinspace.org/2012/03/historical-note-blue-scout-x-15/