Mystery space ramjet booster looking thing. Any ideas?

wrote:
Probably a modified D-21 for air-launch from a SR-71 at Mach 3+

Reason:

1. Size - Around the solids we see strong black "rings" fasten them to
the main body. The thickness of this rings make only sence if we see a
close to scale model. Maybe even 1:1 or 3 but not 5. Otherwise the rings
would be smaller at an acurate tunnel modell. Therefore the size is in
the D-21 range.

2. Asymetric solids. The 3 or 4 solids are asymetric around the body to
allow a clear underside. Thats a disadvantage for the D-21 but a save
feature for the SR-71 mother.

3. Small solids. The solids are much to small to get it to ramjet
ignition speed from Mach 1 or below. - Probably launch by SR-71


Put together, the four solids would have more capacity than the big
single booster actually used to launch the D-21 from the B-52 that
replaced the SR-71 as the launch aircraft after the mid-air collision of
the M-12 and D-21 right after launch.
Here's that booster: http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/d21b33.jpg

Fine image. The solid from the B-52 launch is in diameter and lenght
about the size of the D-21 main body. The 4 solids in the tunnel I
estimate each to about 1/4 diameter of the body. Assuming same lenght
and impulse proportional volume this 4 only give somewhat 25 % speed gain
compared to B-52 solid. Maybe from Mach 3 to Mach 4, but not from 0.8 to 3.

Note that the intake on the mystery what's-it has a much wider gap
between the center-cone and interior of the intake lip than the D-21;
indicating that has much higher needed airflow, or the air it's
traveling through is much thinner.

Yep. If you abandon the wings I would expect the new optimal cruise
altitude somewhat higher. That could explain the need for 4 solids
were 2 would suffice for seperation. And about this ring-cone. I think
it has some controll function too as this UAV has no fins. From size
and shape it could well interact with the Mach cone.


## CrossPoint v3.12d R ##