BogoMIPS - 2/2/2006 2:40 PM
Yup. I think we need a couple more generations of technology before winged orbiters become more viable:
First, you need to achieve single-stage to sub-orbital winged travel, for a manageable cost. At that point, the military and/or commercial travel will grab on to it. Scramjets, or some similarly-revolutionary propulsion system will make a commercial skip-liner (or skip-bomber) possible at some point.
Once you have that, you can scale up to the point that you can afford the additional mass for add-on non-air-breathing engines, or some hybrid LOX-injected air-breather, for the push to LEO.
What do you think the likelihood is that X-24C went deep black, and perhaps led to the long rumored "Aurora" that was causing the "sky quakes" over southern California, presumably on its way to Groom Lake, back in the 1990's? Perhaps the United States has more experience with scramjets and new TPS systems than we realize!
But why? The Soviets had a good enough tracking system to knock out hypersonic spy-planes, and spy sat return better pictures...
Simon
simonbp - 4/2/2006 6:23 PM
But why? The Soviets had a good enough tracking system to knock out hypersonic spy-planes, and spy sat return better pictures...
Simon
Airborn recce is needed because spy sats orbits are known values, if someone has something they want hidden they can hide it before the sat passes over. Spy AC can show up at any time, and with stealth tech they can show up, take pictures, and leave with the target never knowing. And pictures taken from 80, 100, 120 thousand feet will always be of higher quality than pictures taken from 100 miles.
Dogsbd - 4/2/2006 7:47 PM
simonbp - 4/2/2006 6:23 PM
But why? The Soviets had a good enough tracking system to knock out hypersonic spy-planes, and spy sat return better pictures...
Simon
Airborn recce is needed because spy sats orbits are known values, if someone has something they want hidden they can hide it before the sat passes over. Spy AC can show up at any time, and with stealth tech they can show up, take pictures, and leave with the target never knowing. And pictures taken from 80, 100, 120 thousand feet will always be of higher quality than pictures taken from 100 miles.
Both of you are right on the mark. I like the move to unmanned recce with the same scheduling capabilities of the manned recce birds.
Back during the cold war, I was involved in both sides of this argument. We had to cover our classified assets during known satellite passes (and all satellite passes were known). I also flew the manned recce birds that could be replanned at the last minute. In some cases we were diverted after airborne.
Cheers,
Larry
Dogsbd - 4/2/2006 6:47 PM
simonbp - 4/2/2006 6:23 PM
But why? The Soviets had a good enough tracking system to knock out hypersonic spy-planes, and spy sat return better pictures...
Simon
Airborn recce is needed because spy sats orbits are known values, if someone has something they want hidden they can hide it before the sat passes over. Spy AC can show up at any time, and with stealth tech they can show up, take pictures, and leave with the target never knowing. And pictures taken from 80, 100, 120 thousand feet will always be of higher quality than pictures taken from 100 miles.
It is one thing flying at mach3 and 60k but there are issues with trying to take images though the thermal and shock wave environments of a hypersonic vehicle
We digress
I have always wondered why the US gave up the SR-71 with no follow on aircraft or capability available. It didn't and doesn't make sense to me. There must be something....Let's hope it stays secret as long as needed to do its job.
A plane like the SR71 isn't retired without a follow on black project. Along with the sonic booms there have some pictures though I am not sure if they were doctored up any, of pulse jet con trails that looked like popcorn on a string. Not sure if they are from aurora, but something secret. I think this thread is also geting a little off the topic title too
