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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
In another thread:
SSTO propulsion overview Gordon D. Pusch wrote [Rutan's White Knight] is basically a big high aspect-ratio sailplane-like design with a couple of jet engines --- essentially a civilian re-invention of the U2 spyplane. It's top speed is at most a few hundred knots! That makes me think: The civilian astronomers must have wanted an U2 plane with upward looking cameras, for work you can't do on the ground, like IR and similar work. I know that NASA has a converted KC-135 (IIRC) for that sort of thing. When they are finished flying StarShip 1, perhaps they could design a pod with two IR cameras for the White Knight. Or modify it to have the cameras on board. Is White Knight able to cut the engines, glide and then restart after the pictures are taken ? I suppose that's how Lockheed U2 worked. Or how much would it take to add that capability ? Regards Carsten Nielsen Denmark |
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
They already did/do use U-2's for this, NASA owns one that I knew of. Also did
some time using SR-71 blackbirds on loan, looking "up". You don't cut the engines on the U-2 if you can help it, at the altitude you're talking about, the difference between max speed and stall speed is a handful of knots. Should the engine flame out, it would have to immediatley dive to keep the airspeed inside the "coffin corner"... though on occasions when the U-2 has flamed out, they have been known to glide across a significant amount of a country before getting to an altitude where they have to worry about picking a field...;-) Anyhow, I think hyperpressure baloons are maybe a better deal for these observations, since you get a much longer observing time, no thermal problems from the platform itself, and no pilot with human needs and frailties. |
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
Carsten Nielsen wrote: In another thread: SSTO propulsion overview Gordon D. Pusch wrote [Rutan's White Knight] is basically a big high aspect-ratio sailplane-like design with a couple of jet engines --- essentially a civilian re-invention of the U2 spyplane. It's top speed is at most a few hundred knots! That makes me think: The civilian astronomers must have wanted an U2 plane with upward looking cameras, for work you can't do on the ground, like IR and similar work. I did a bit of reading on high altitude planes. The "Perseus B" is driven by a propeller with a triple-turbocharged piston engine. Mike Ackerman |
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
So they crossed the intire Soviet Union on one tank full of fuel ?
I thought they glided a lot of time to stretch the fuel available, and to cut the engine vibration during picture taking. No, engines were never cut on purpose, though they did sometimes have flameouts and compressor stalls. The Soviet fly-overs were launched from nearby, in places like Peshawar, Pakistan. The early missions, as you seem to suggest, didn't exactly fly across the whole country on it's longest axis, rather, their courses were more like loops or curved sections. |
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
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Rutans White Knight as IR observatory
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