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This seemed worthy of its own topic.
Lockheed flight tests a scale-model flyback first-stage booster - 23 Apr 2008 - see link for images
By Rob Coppinger
A scale-model reusable first-stage flyback booster has been flight tested by Lockheed Martin Space Systems for an internally funded unmanned two-stage orbital transportation system, designed for low operational costs.
The 2.44m (8ft) long, 1.83m wingspan vehicle's test follows four years of work involving concept trade studies, computational fluid dynamics, wind tunnel work and earlier models' flights.
"I'm holding the [vehicle's] name back for competitive reasons. We're looking at multiple applications, civil, military, exploring lean operations and rapid response," says Space Systems' advanced programmes director, Al Simpson.
The "roughly fifth" scale-model has a delta wing with winglets and canards for the control required by the full-size vehicle's high-speed return.
The 100s flight from New Mexico's Spaceport America simulated a typical trajectory with vertical launch and controlled glide to the landing site.
Simpson declined to talk about related upper-stage work or the first-stage's rocket motor. Ground support systems have been automated to reduce the launch site's crew numbers.
[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond - triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space] #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps] - videos !!![/url]
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Whatever happened to the planned Shuttle flyback boosters to replace the SRBs?
I wonder how well they could be adapted to the Ares V.
"Yes, I was going to give this astronaut selection my best shot, I was determined when the NASA proctologist looked up my ass, he would see pipes so dazzling he would ask the nurse to get his sunglasses."
---Shuttle Astronaut Mike Mullane
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Cool, flyback boosters... took long enough.
Though you'd need more than two of them probably, given how powerful the big five-segment booster is... that would take radical redesign of the first stage and launch pad.
Making an intermediate-sized booster with a pair of these on a new core though for Lunar crew or Moon/Mars medium cargo, that would be awesome.
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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How would you strap two together without making big changes to the design? It looks like this is intended for quick launch of a small payload to LEO. It may be possible to scale it up further, but how far?
[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond - triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space] #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps] - videos !!![/url]
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Perhaps a structurally modified Ares-I core with flyback boosters on the side instead of pushing from the end.
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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bump
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