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McDonnell Douglas GRM-29A
The next issue of Aerospace Projects Review (due to go to the printer in
a day or two) has an article on the McD Global Range Mach 29 Aerospace Plane. This was a 1980's single stage to orbit lifting body, but with a rather goofy engine arrangement... three SSME's in the tail, one in the *nose*. It took off like a Harrier in a horizontal attitude, but straight up. The data available on it is a bit sketchy, but what I've got is in here. it's an interesting design. A view of the whole issue is online at: http://up-ship.com/apr/images/v5n2all.jpg -- Scott Lowther, Engineer "Any statement by Edward Wright that starts with 'You seem to think that...' is wrong. Always. It's a law of Usenet, like Godwin's." - Jorge R. Frank, 11 Nov 2002 |
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McDonnell Douglas GRM-29A
In article ,
Scott Lowther wrote: ...This was a 1980's single stage to orbit lifting body, but with a rather goofy engine arrangement... three SSME's in the tail, one in the *nose*. It took off like a Harrier in a horizontal attitude, but straight up. When the spec is adamant about "horizontal takeoff", but the engineering clearly says you should take off vertically, people do what they can... -- MOST launched 1015 EDT 30 June, separated 1046, | Henry Spencer first ground-station pass 1651, all nominal! | |
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McDonnell Douglas GRM-29A
Scott Lowther wrote in message ...
The next issue of Aerospace Projects Review (due to go to the printer in a day or two) has an article on the McD Global Range Mach 29 Aerospace Plane. This was a 1980's single stage to orbit lifting body, but with a rather goofy engine arrangement... three SSME's in the tail, one in the *nose*. It took off like a Harrier in a horizontal attitude, but straight up. The data available on it is a bit sketchy, but what I've got is in here. it's an interesting design. A view of the whole issue is online at: http://up-ship.com/apr/images/v5n2all.jpg I was rather surprised to see this in print, Scott, since it was rather closely held for a long time. I did the original concept design for this configuration --and all of the competing configurations by the other companies--while a consultant at ANSER. The engine arrangement is a little different from what you mention, but I do not feel free to say more. The overall project was derailed by false NASP promises --not by technical barriers. Best regards, Len (Cormier) PanAero, Inc. and Third Millennium Aerospace, Inc. ( http://www.tour2space.com ) |
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McDonnell Douglas GRM-29A
(Scott Lowther) wrote in message . com...
(Len) wrote in message . com... I was rather surprised to see this in print, Scott, since it was rather closely held for a long time. A non-classified (or at least, a document that was not labelled as classified) review of the GRM-29A was forwarded to me by Jess Sponable back in '98 or '99. If it's still classified... well... all I can say is that I got it through a public source and it's not labeled as classified. The Boeing RASV design was in the same review, and it's pretty declassified. Oh, I wasn't challenging anything--just that I have not kept up to date on the status. I did the original concept design for this configuration --and all of the competing configurations by the other companies--while a consultant at ANSER. The engine arrangement is a little different from what you mention, but I do not feel free to say more. Might be a different version (the drawing sdo show two slightly different wing/body arrangements). The version desribed has three SSME's in the tail, two with extendable cones for high altitude, and a further SSME in the nose. All engines could pivot through at least 90 degrees. The overall project was derailed by false NASP promises --not by technical barriers. My own view is that the added mass of the pivots, along with an SSME that's only used for 50 or so seconds, did not scream "SSTO mass fraction." But I don't have the detailed design data, so there ya go. There were earlier versions that did not have some of the problems that you mention. Again, I do not feel free to say more. Best regards, Len |
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