U.S. hypersonic glider launched, contact lost

[forcetrip]

Are we talking about the second test that was supposed to have been a few days ago?

 

[Machoman]

shame on you all instead of appreciating something launch new in word of technology you guys making fun of it.....

 

[gubbi]

The fastest humans ever, in all of history, happened in 1969 with Apollo 10.

A lot of records were captured by Apollo, like fastest human, most "remote" human, etc. I don't know who it is, but one of the Apollo command module pilots became the most remote, farthest-traveled human during his solo orbits of the moon while the other two crew were on the surface. Talk about lonely!

That was in space - no atmosphere - no media for sound travel, no friction. Cannot compare that with an atmospheric hypersonic speed.
This particular test was in the upper atmosphere and at 20Mach, the lifting body behaved in ways they could not predict and controlling surfaces were not efficient to control the aircraft. (Atleast thats what I read and understood - unless its something else).
Like the DARPA spokesperson said, - "theres a solution to it, we know it and we will find it." Thats the spirit of exploration!!

Hear that naysayers and copycats?

 

[Chogy]

True, Gubbi, space is different from the atmosphere, but the upper atmosphere has barely any air in it. It's very, very thin. The Space Station is low enough to encounter drag even at its current altitude.

Nothing man-made can survive mach 20+ near sea level. The temperatures and pressures are too high, it'll turn into plasma.

But I understand what you are saying. I guess the question is, how do you qualify records for atmospheric flight?

 

[CardSharp]

True, Gubbi, space is different from the atmosphere, but the upper atmosphere has barely any air in it. It's very, very thin. The Space Station is low enough to encounter drag even at its current altitude.

Nothing man-made can survive mach 20+ near sea level. The temperatures and pressures are too high, it'll turn into plasma.

If I recall correct the X-15s use to reach pretty well into space and skip themselves off of the upper atmosphere like a rock on the surface of a pound during flight. So classification between spaceship and airplane could definitely be a bit fuzzy.

 

[no_name]

I think the space shuttle was actually classified both as a spacecraft and an aircraft.

 

[siegecrossbow]

If I recall correct the X-15s use to reach pretty well into space and skip themselves off of the upper atmosphere like a rock on the surface of a pound during flight. So classification between spaceship and airplane could definitely be a bit fuzzy.

Maybe that is why they are called spaceplanes???

 

[CardSharp]

Maybe that is why they are called spaceplanes???

Are they? I just remember thinking they were really cool as a kid. Was super exciting when I saw it on a field trip to DC.

 

[jdme]

I always believed this to be a step towards single stage launch pad.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Are they? I just remember thinking they were really cool as a kid. Was super exciting when I saw it on a field trip to DC.

That is certainly the name for it. X-15 and Spaceship One/Two are members of the suborbital family:

Spaceplane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Chogy]

I think we can safely look at it like this -

The X-15, when it got high enough, found that there were not enough air molecules flowing over the control surfaces to move the plane. Full UP or DOWN elevator does nothing in space. So they have to add reaction jets, thrusters, to move the airplane on its three axes.

So any vehicle that needs these might be safely labeled a "Space Plane"... That, and the obvious need for rocket propulsion, although rockets work well also in thick atmosphere.

 

[superNova]

i think it happened because americans cheat in their exams

 

[siegecrossbow]

I think we can safely look at it like this -

The X-15, when it got high enough, found that there were not enough air molecules flowing over the control surfaces to move the plane. Full UP or DOWN elevator does nothing in space. So they have to add reaction jets, thrusters, to move the airplane on its three axes.

So any vehicle that needs these might be safely labeled a "Space Plane"... That, and the obvious need for rocket propulsion, although rockets work well also in thick atmosphere.

Did they install the steam jet thrusters on the X-15 before or after the test pilots found out that the control surfaces weren't responsive at higher altitudes?

 

[Chogy]

Did they install the steam jet thrusters on the X-15 before or after the test pilots found out that the control surfaces weren't responsive at higher altitudes?

I'm not that familiar with the X-15 program, but I'm confident they knew what would be needed to operate at 100,000 meters.