Mystery space ramjet booster looking thing. Any ideas?

http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg

On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:09:31 -0700, Scott Ferrin
wrote:




http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg

Some relative of the D-21 drone?

Brian

Scott Ferrin wrote:

http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg


I don't know what the hell that thing is, but I love it. :-)
Check with Scott Lowther; if anyone would knows the story of it, he would.

Pat

Brian Thorn wrote:
On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:09:31 -0700, Scott Ferrin
wrote:



http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg


Some relative of the D-21 drone?


The design is interesting, it apparently uses Shuttle SRBs.
Ram or scramjet exhaust apparently exits around the top of the
propellant tankage.
It would be interesting to know where the payload goes, or what the the
two top cylindrical units above the SRBs are all about.
Boosters, or drop tanks?
It was apparently a serious design proposal; that wind tunnel model
couldn't have been cheap to make in that scale.

Pat

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:30:30 -0600, Pat Flannery
wrote:



Scott Ferrin wrote:

http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg


I don't know what the hell that thing is, but I love it. :-)
Check with Scott Lowther; if anyone would knows the story of it, he would.

Pat


I've posted it over on secretprojects (a couple times apparently :-) )
and there were a few guesses but nothing definitive. He frequents
that site and never responded so I figured he missed it which is why I
posted it here. If he still doesn't happen to see it I might just PM
him.

They don't have to be shuttle SRBs - they could be a similar, but
smaller, solid booster. I wonder if it was a projected test craft for
a ramjet recon air platform, like a larger, self-launched D-21 type,
with the rocket boosters getting it off a rail and up to ramjet
speed.

Pat Flannery wrote:

Brian Thorn wrote:
On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 17:09:31 -0700, Scott Ferrin
wrote:

http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg

Some relative of the D-21 drone?


The design is interesting, it apparently uses Shuttle SRBs.
Ram or scramjet exhaust apparently exits around the top of the
propellant tankage.

Or it could be missing skin/covers that are not needed for this test,
or that will be installed subsequent to the photo and prior to the
test.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

Matt wrote:
They don't have to be shuttle SRBs - they could be a similar, but
smaller, solid booster. I wonder if it was a projected test craft
for a ramjet recon air platform, like a larger, self-launched D-21
type, with the rocket boosters getting it off a rail and up to
ramjet speed.

Although it doesn't look like the fairings (?) are meant to come-off,
and why would one keep a spent solid around after boost?

rick jones
--
firebug n, the idiot who tosses a lit cigarette out his car window
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

Derek Lyons wrote:
Or it could be missing skin/covers that are not needed for this test,
or that will be installed subsequent to the photo and prior to the
test.


I don't think so, as that would mean the ramjet exhaust would have to
exit through the interior of the fuel tank.
The Russians made a scramjet test vehicle that had a motor like this
mounted on top of it and used a SA-5 missile to get it up to operating
speed and altitude: http://xplanes.free.fr/stato/soviet_.../kholod_04.jpg

Pat

Scott Ferrin wrote:
http://www.xmission.com/~sferrin/1969_04155L.jpg


I was looking at the photo again...is this supposed to be from1969?

Pat