Some guys (say Sweetman) suppose that NASP was a cover program for something
that became operational:

"The fact that cover is extensively used to protect black programs adds
weight to the theory that some white-world projects may, in fact, be
intended as cover. One example is the X-30 National Aerospaceplane (NASP)
project, which was launched in 1986, cut back in 1992 and terminated in
1994. In retrospect, the stated goal of NASP - to develop a
single-stage-to-orbit vehicle based on air-breathing scramjet technology -
seems ambitious and unrealistic.
Considered as a cover for a black-world hypersonic program, however, NASP
was ideal. NASP provided a credible reason for developing new technologies -
such as high-temperature materials and slush hydrogen - building and
improving large test facilities, and even setting up production facilities
for some materials. These activities would have been hard to conceal
directly, and would have pointed directly to a classified hypersonic program
without a cover story. "

Ok, I'm not another Aurora believer...but Boeing Bird of Prey unveiling
makes me think that someone still have good habit of keeping secrets tight.

I'm not sure for North Korea bombers, but AFAIK Russian hypersonic strike
platform program is pretty on the way...rather it's pretty well
classified...or RIP because of lack of funds. It just remembers me situation
when papers regarding military use of atomic energy dissapeared before
WWII - as well, all public mentioning of all that crazy AYAKS and NEVA
concepts are dissapeared...and every MAKS airshow I see IGLA/GLL/GELA
hypersonic testbeds that means that something moves...somewhere. At least
Rosaviacosmos heads stated several times that hypersonic plane studies are
underway.



Regards,

Gregory


"Allen Thomson" ???????/???????? ? ???????? ?????????:
m...
(Henry Spencer) wrote

Gregory Omelchenko wrote:

Was there some kind of finalized NASP X-30 iteration? I mean is that
flattened-nose waverider was really FINAL one?

I'm not sure that the real configuration was ever declassified.
If (dim) memory serves, that flat-nosed configuration was
supposed to be generally representative of current thinking,
nothing more -- something to show in publicity material.

Which does raise the question of why technology developed in a
somewhat long-ago failed program should still be classified. If
released, at best, it might help current CATS efforts (though I
doubt it). At worst - well, what bad things could happen from
releasing NASP technology? North Korean hypersonic bombers
swooping on Los Angeles?