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Hypersonic research plane
The
Orbital Sciences X-34
was intended to be a low-cost testbed for demonstrating "key technologies" that could be integrated into the
Reusable Launch Vehicle
program. It was intended to be an autonomous pilotless craft powered by a "
Fastrac
"
liquid-propellant rocket
engine, capable of reaching
Mach
8 and performing 25 test flights per year.
[
citation needed
]
The X-34 began as a program for a
suborbital
reusable-rocket technology demonstrator. In early 2001, the first flight vehicle was near completion, but the program was ended due to budget concerns. Up to this point, the project had encompassed spending of just under $112 million: $85.7M from the original contract with designer Orbital Sciences, $16M from NASA and various government agencies for testing, and an additional $10M for Orbital Sciences to adapt its
L-1011
carrier aircraft to accommodate the X-34. The program was officially canceled by NASA on March 31, 2001.
[2]
The unpowered prototype had been used only for towing and captive flight tests when the project was canceled.
The two demonstrators remained in storage at
Edwards Air Force Base
[3]
until they were temporarily moved to
Mojave, California
, in late 2010. This prompted some speculation that they might be restored to flight status. As of August 2020
[update]
, the spaceplanes were lying in the yard of a crane company in nearby
Lancaster, California
.
[4]
Gallery
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See also
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References
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Further reading
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]
- Bruce I. Larrimer; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2020),
Promise denied : NASA’s X-34 and the quest for cheap reusable access to space
, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
ISBN
978-1-62683-051-6
External links
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Supersonic/special test
"S" (1946?1947)
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Experimental
"X" (1948?present)
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See also
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1
Not assigned •
2
Assigned to multiple types •
3
Unofficial
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