Cancelation of Aurora? Whats next?

So i was watching modern marvels on the history chanell (it was on jet engines) and about 2 mins before it ended they made reference to the Aurora (they claimed it would probably be Mach 8....or was it Mach 5? sorry can't remember). Anyways, at the end they interviewed an aviation historian working for Edwards AFB (again, I think) and he said something like 'in my opinion, the Aurora existed for a period, but was decomisioned.'

Now if this is true, seeing as how every Intel guy in the world will tell you that sat intel is NOT suffecient, and that you have to have some sort of on demand spy plane, what has the USAF/CIA/NSA cooked up now?

They would be working on a 4th gen spy plane (U-2, SR-71 blackbird, the aurora or SR-75 as I have seen it called). What would this 4th gen spy plane be capable of?

A theory of mine, is that it would be nuclear powered, whatever it is and if it exists. Both the US and Russia were trying to power a plane with a nuclear reactor as early as the 50's because of the unlimited range and loiter time. I am sceptical though of any "anti grav" type theories, as i simply doubt we are at the point where we can harness a gravity field (at least without help from our local friendly greys)

I have also read of some supposedly triangle shaped craft that somehow reduces its wieght by 89%. Anyone know anything of this?

Please give opinions and if you can givee any links and/or facts.

I think they decomed the project because of the advent of the tr-3b.

Hi TB!!

A useful link perhaps?

robocat.users.btopenworld.com...

Happy reading!

thanks for the link Genya. BTW, that is exactly what i was refering to.

Do you think this is most likely the case?

Seen that episode many times.My personal take on the subject of Aurora is that it is real.Hypersonic travel is possible at this time but unfortunately it's been kept for military use.As for propulsion i think it's either a pulse detonation wave engine or a scramjet engine.

I really think the original plane that came from the aurora project is now decommed as well.

I heard from someone who's opinion I respect and could possibly be in a position to actually know something on the subject, that the replacement is a lifting body waverider design using scram jets.
This person's assesment was that the original aurora most likely bore a slight resemblance to the sr-71 with updating to 1980's airframe and internal technology and included the brute force of a massive pulse jet.

i agree that the Aurora did/does exist. Too many things about it make sense.... i mean, the blackbird was from the 60's!!!! I think in 4 decades those billions we Americans spend on our black projects have gone somewhere!

May I enquire as to where he works? not sceptical, simply curious.

[Edited on 29-1-2004 by TheButcher]

Technology is ALWAYS advancing...ALWAYS.

Originally posted by TheButcher
So i was watching modern marvels on the history chanell (it was on jet engines) and about 2 mins before it ended they made reference to the Aurora (they claimed it would probably be Mach 8....or was it Mach 5? sorry can't remember). Anyways, at the end they interviewed an aviation historian working for Edwards AFB (again, I think) and he said something like 'in my opinion, the Aurora existed for a period, but was decomisioned.'

Now if this is true, seeing as how every Intel guy in the world will tell you that sat intel is NOT suffecient, and that you have to have some sort of on demand spy plane, what has the USAF/CIA/NSA cooked up now?

They would be working on a 4th gen spy plane (U-2, SR-71 blackbird, the aurora or SR-75 as I have seen it called). What would this 4th gen spy plane be capable of?

A theory of mine, is that it would be nuclear powered, whatever it is and if it exists. Both the US and Russia were trying to power a plane with a nuclear reactor as early as the 50's because of the unlimited range and loiter time. I am sceptical though of any "anti grav" type theories, as i simply doubt we are at the point where we can harness a gravity field (at least without help from our local friendly greys)

I have also read of some supposedly triangle shaped craft that somehow reduces its wieght by 89%. Anyone know anything of this?

Please give opinions and if you can givee any links and/or facts.

I watched it too and payed pretty close attention to that segment. The part regarding the aurora being cancelled was the interviewed man's THEORY. Remember the aurora "doesn't exist" therefor they wouldn't reveal it's cancelation in the first place. And they mentioned the aurora aircraft reaching speeds up to mach 6. Again, the man only said of what he thinks happend to the aurora and is not official.

Originally posted by TheButcher
May I enquire as to where he works? not sceptical, simply curious.
[Edited on 29-1-2004 by TheButcher]

This person was actually referred to me by someone I met on this web site, I guess they got tired of all my questions.
He was introduced to me as someone "closely associated with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research" (he is a civilian).

I would venture to guess there was a development program - to refine technology needed for deployment. The next question is what program is the direct and indirect sucessor of Aurora?

In Nick Cook's recent book "Zero Point" he describes going to one of Lockheed's facilities and seeing mural of the entire history of Lockheed's aircraft designs, including a depiction of the Aurora at the very top. As I remember it, Cook asked about the plane and the employee said something like "I can't say anything about it". Haha. All these guys have to deny it until it's officially unclassified, even if half the world knows about it anyway.

I can hear something making a LOT of noise in the west desert on a regular basis since about 1990, and I don't think it's ordinary sonic booms from jet fighters. They wouldn't have retired the SR71 if they didn't have a replacement for it.

The Aurora Project did exist, the craft it's self was de-commissioned long ago.

Originally posted by iamlucas

The Aurora Project did exist, the craft it's self was de-commissioned long ago.

which Aurora? lol...........

If they've really decommisioned the Aurora wouldn't they declassify it? Or maybe my thinking is too.....civilian.

need to know thing...you don't need to know

I see finally people are getting around to excepting that the Aurora is no longer flying. I never really enjoyed telling people here that the plane has been out of commision for a while now considering how fascinated I've been since the speculation of it's existance first appeared in Aviation Week a long long time ago. I really hope in the next decade they take the wraps off of it, and I think people will be suprised to find that the aircraft was actually the NASP. While I'm not 100% that the Aurora was the NASP, this is what I was told and using certain information I was able to deduce that was most likely what the aircraft was.

I think the aurora never stoped flying it just changed owners form the air force to NASA

check this out and tell me they are not the same thing

www.space.com... dy%20the%20aerodynamic%20forces%20that%20whip%20about%20the%20X-43A%20during%20its%20high-speed%20run.

a52.g.akamaitech.net...


and here is the airforce impression

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.theundergroundfiles.com...

www.theundergroundfiles.com...

To me it looks a litta bit farmilar its the same thing for cryin out loud.

As has been pointed out here before, any aircraft that will fly at that speed will have a similar design. You must remember that all the Aurura pictures are purely conceptual, based on known aerodynamic requirements for that type of an aircraft and not off of what it looks like in reality.

I know some of you are probably crushed to hear that the Aurora is decommission considering Harm was flying the Aurora on last nights episode of JAG

aurora was decomed then given to NASA because the airfore and NASA are the same thing. Now why because they have something better " the black manta tr-3b" Radio controllers just call it fast mover at groom lake. Now with something exotic like the manta you wouldnt need something like the aurora now would you.