able to fly from airport runways
directly into his orbit and withstand
temperatures up to 5,000 degrees the
National aerospace plane represents the
future in aeronautics and space
technology NASA and the Department of
Defense are co-sponsoring a unique
cooperative effort among aerospace
companies to design and develop the
airframe materials and systems for the
national aerospace plane scheduled to
begin flights in the late 1990s the
aerospace plane follows in the footsteps
of a distinguished series of
experimental aircraft that overcame many
obstacles beginning with the bell x-1
Chuck Yeager's historic flight broke the
sound barrier in the 60s the x-15 flew
at seven times the speed of sound
more recently the x29 with its
sophisticated forward swept wing design
proved advanced materials
pewter rated controls yield unmatched
maneuverability when the next
experimental plane the x30 becomes a
reality
it will furnace a set of ramjet scramjet
sand finally rocket propulsion flying
directly into orbit the promise of
low-cost access to space has also
encouraged the Europeans and Japanese to
begin working on their own versions of
the space plane while the interest in
creating such a technology is very high
it presents unique can even daunting
challenges no existing plane or wind
tunnel can duplicate the 17,500 miles
per hour the X 30 will attain computer
models are being used to simulate the
shock waves and heat the X 30 will
encounter as it roars through Earth's
atmosphere nearly 30 times faster than a
jet airliner materials for the plane
must meet rival needs of strength
lightness and ability to withstand
searing temperatures at re-entry unlike
a previous design resembling a Concorde
the new x thirties wide fuselage
provides much of the plane's lift and
reduces wingspan requirements
a wide nose directs airflow into the
planes air breathing ramjet and scramjet
engines dual vertical tails have been
added for greater stability at all
speeds
America's national aerospace plane
technology that promises affordable
efficient and flexible access to space
in the 21st century
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