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As NASP began to build up steam for its air-breathing work, in the late 1980s the SCIENCE REALM effort was followed by the HAVE REGION program, to complement ongoing air-breathing work in the NASP program.
Noted aerospace analyst Wolfgang Demisch, of First Boston Company, suggested that the $10 billion program would result in the production of about 30 aircraft. More recently, Kemper Security analyst Lawrence Harris concluded that Lockheed was involved in a "... hypersonic replacement for the Mach 3 plus SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft".
"Circumstantial evidence suggests that this project has been underway since 1987 and that a first flight occurred in 1989... Aurora could be operational in 1995, six years after the probable first flight."
A new Ultra High Temperature TPS material was to be flight tested by NASA's SHARP project for sharp leading edges, which was another outgrowth of the now cancelled Space Launch Initiative that featured the GTX RBCC project. This may be a superior alternative to RCC, depending on cost and structural strength. There are currently a few groups still working with the material HfB2-SiC (Hafnium diboride - Silicon Carbide) as well as ZrB2, zirconium diboride, which both offer durable thermal protection above 2000 degrees C. HfB2's melting point is around 3600 C. These materials can be extruded into fibers that are used to weave or wind the desired part shape, which is then pyrolyzed to remove the polymer. Wickman Aerospace, which was involved in the SHARP project, says this material provides distinct advantages for spaceplanes:
Reduction Of Aerodynamic Drag By 90%
Mach 7 at Sea Level Without Ablation
Mach 11 at 100,000 Feet Without Ablation
No Ionization Layer During Reentry
No Communications Blackout During Reentry
Active and Passive Sensors During All Phases of Reentry
Thermal Protection System Is In Pristine Condition After Reentry
Hemispherical Cross Range - Can Land At Either Pole From Equatorial Orbit
Rapid Response and Turn Around Between Missions
Affordable Vehicle and Operational Costs
Wickman Spacecraft & Propulsion Company (WSPC) is working on developing a Spaceplane based on NASA's SHARP thermal protection system, which enables sharp edges on reentry vehicles. The initial application of the SHARP Spaceplane will be a hypersonic bomber capable of rapid, high launch rates to orbit to deploy Common Aero Vehicles (CAVs) or put satellites into orbit. This hypersonic space bomber will evolve into a larger spaceplane capable of carrying passengers.
Lockheed's Skunk Works, now the Lockheed Advanced Development Company, is the most likely prime contractor for the Aurora aircraft. Throughout the 1980s, financial analysts concluded that Lockheed had been engaged in several large classified projects. However, they weren't able to identify enough of them to account for the company's income. Technically, the Skunk Works has a unique record of managing large, high-risk programs under an incredible unparalleled secrecy. Even with high-risk projects the company has undertaken, Lockheed has a record of providing what it promises to deliver
I don't belive for one minute that this airframes not operational, as we have enough circumstantial evidence and eye witness accounts to make a strong case that this craft is not only developed and tested, but also fully operational. Where is it based ? Groom lake ? maybe, but i'm off to follow a email about the Kwajalein atoll airbase.
Guy Norris of Flight Magazine, who is based In Los Angeles, said last night that Aurora was being flown from a base in the Nevada desert to an atoll in the Pacific, then on to Scotland to refuel before returning to the US at night and that specially modified tanker aircraft flying from Britain are being used to top up Aurora's tanks with liquid methane fuel in mid-air.
People living nearby reported strange 'ear-splitting' noises and mysterious smoke rings in the sky earlier this year. As rumours grew of secret developments at the base, Archie Hamilton, the Defence Minister, told Parliament last month that the existence of, and any operations by Aurora were a "matter for the American authorities". A US Air Force spokesman yesterday refused to confirm or deny its existence.
Kemper Securities, the a financial analysts, said up to $8 billion has already been spent on the project at Lockheed's "Skunk Works" in California
Originally posted by jkrog08
Nothing personal but I really don't think this guy,who admittedly works for the Department of Defense would actually tell you the truth.Of course he will say enough to be convincing and than add in the 'disinformation' with the little bit of truth(like 5-10%).Thats how disinformation works.If you seriously think that right now,or even 20-30 years ago that we "Were not 'mature' enough in aerospace technology" to build a full working manned hypersonic craft or weapons platform,then think again.Hell, we had the 'SR-71',or 'A-12'(prototype) in the sixties,it is only logical to assume that in the next 30+ years we could make something that at least could fly the mere 1000 or so mph more required for a 'hypersonic' plane!That was then,now think what kind of wondrous air/spacecraft they have!
You guys seem to be sewing together a lot of unrelated elements to create a fantasy aircraft. There is no solid evidence that any such vehicle exists. There is much better circumstantial evidence that a one-off demonstrator might have been tested and no evidence whatsoever of an operational system.
The AURORA budget line item was confirmed to be money for B-2 manufacturing and testing infrastructure - facilities, not airplanes. "Blackstar" was a fiasco of bad reporting. Pure fantasy. An embarrassment to Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine, as described by a senior AW&ST editor.
You are also ignoring the fact that NASA and DoD are still spending billions on fundamental hypersonic research and development. Programs like FALCON, Blackswift, X-43, X-51, and RATTLRS represent the early phases of developing hypersonic vehicles, not follow-on work to proven, operational systems. My sources, who are well placed to know the facts, say that a hypersonic global flyer is still in the distant future. We are much closer to developing a hypersonic cruise missile.
The evidence is everywhere,what do you call the 'donut' shape contrails still being reported?What exactly do you think they do at Area 51?Are you really that ignorant to think we havn't progressed,but regressed technologically since making the SR-71,which was nearly hypersonic and likely had a top speed of Mach 4.(the top speed is still classfied,as well the ceiling)
You guys seem to be sewing together a lot of unrelated elements to create a fantasy aircraft. There is no solid evidence that any such vehicle exists. There is much better circumstantial evidence that a one-off demonstrator might have been tested and no evidence whatsoever of an operational system.
The AURORA budget line item was confirmed to be money for B-2 manufacturing and testing infrastructure - facilities, not airplanes. "Blackstar" was a fiasco of bad reporting. Pure fantasy. An embarrassment to Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine, as described by a senior AW&ST editor.
You are also ignoring the fact that NASA and DoD are still spending billions on fundamental hypersonic research and development. Programs like FALCON, Blackswift, X-43, X-51, and RATTLRS represent the early phases of developing hypersonic vehicles, not follow-on work to proven, operational systems.
My sources, who are well placed to know the facts, say that a hypersonic global flyer is still in the distant future. We are much closer to developing a hypersonic cruise missile.
[Brahmos-2 (India/Russia) (2013) ]BAPL is contemplating a hypersonic mach 8 version of the missile, named as the BrahMos 2. BrahMos 2 will be the first hypersonic cruise missile and is expected to be ready by 2012-13.[9] The laboratory testing of the missile has started.[10]
Another, longer ranged variant is also being considered, although joint development would not be possible, since Russia is a signatory to the MTCR.
Source
Imagine having the ability to strike anywhere in the world within one hour. The X-51 is an amazing hypersonic cruise missile that travels 600 miles in just ten minutes (approximately 3600 MPH or Mach 5).
Traveling as fast as 13,000 mph, the warheads are filled with scored tungsten rods with twice the strength of steel. Just above the target, the warheads detonate, showering the area with thousands of rods-each one up to 12 times as destructive as a .50-caliber bullet. Anything within 3000 sq. ft. of this whirling, metallic storm is obliterated.
Compared with the Tomahawk Missile which travels at a mere 550 MPH, the X51 gives the US the ability to strike enemies quickly before they can evade. As U.S. Strategic Command’s deputy commander Lt. Gen. C. Robert Kehler puts it, the goal of the X51 is “to strike virtually anywhere on the face of the Earth within 60 minutes.”
The power of this weapon once it reaches its unfortunate target is amazing.
Originally posted by Shadowhawk
This thread is becoming increasingly disappointing. The tone is less like that of researchers and more like religious fanatics.
Originally posted by Shadowhawk
You are also completely ignorant, jkrog08, of the nature of NASA, the various U.S. space programs, and fiscal realities in general. You sound like one of those conspiracists who think that all publicly available information is a lie and all inside sources providing information that doesn't agree with your world view are liars.