spacecraft – Page 46 – Aerospace Projects Review Blog

Nuclear Pulse Starships, X-20, BoMi, BWB…

bomber, Dyna Soar, hypersonic, launch vehicles, nukes, rockets, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane No Responses »

Mar 152014

UPDATE: the deadline has come… these are now no longer for sale.

~~I am making available, for a limited time~~, four bound volumes of large format diagrams. These are 11X17 line-drawing CAD diagrams produced by yours truly, bound in red pressboard report covers (why? because that’s classy, that’s why).

I had not planned on releasing these, but I had also not taken into account the fact that the IRS will very soon be demanding a sizable income tax check from me. Ooops. So, my sudden financial panic is your opportunity to get a limited edition item. They will be available until some time on Thursday, March 20. At which point they will be gone forever. Each one will be hand inscribed with the number of the edition (“#1 of 5” or “#4 of 7,” whatever the case may be), with the numbering done via order in which orders are received. Also with my hand-enscribbled initials. (Because who knows, I might be famous someday.)

What I have:

1) BoMi: the complete set of diagrams created for the “Bomber Missile” articles for Aerospace Projects Review issues V2N3 and V2N4, a total of about 45 pages. Includes the MX 2276 from 1955, up through the SR-126 studies from 1957, Brass Bell, Convairs RoBo, Super Hustler, FISH; and Boeing Model 728 studies, among others. $45

2) BWB: The complete set of diagrams created for the V1N3 APR article on Blended Wing Body aircraft, 29 pages. Contains many jetliner concepts, along with such oddities as the Lockheed CL-1201,a giant nuclear powered VTOL assault transport concept. $40

3) Model 2050E X-20 Dyna Soar: the diagrams from the not-yet released issue V3N4 APR article. These are the diagrams in their current state; some may change before I’m done with them. And some will not appear in the article. Includes not only the X-20, but also several proposed launch vehicles (including, I’m reasonably proud to say, the first publicly available accurate and detailed diagrams of the X-20 atop the Titan IIIc), layouts of test and operational versions of the DS with transstage, several small space stations designed expressly for DS servicing, and several high-energy transstage concepts. Also includes really quite good diagrams of the ASSET test vehicle and the X-37B spaceplane. 24 pages, $35

4) Nuclear Pulse Propulsion Starships: diagrams from my hopefully-forthcoming book on nuclear pulse propulsion. I really had not planned on releasing any of the diagrams prior to publication of the book, but what the heck: here are 14 pages showing several versions of the Enzmann Starship, the Dyson Starship, the BIS Daedalus, the Martin/Bond Worldships and the US Naval Academy “Longshot.” $30

Several of the X-20 and NPP diagrams have been formatted specifically for this release, and will not be otherwise released. And of course if I get mashed by a Mack truck or flattened by a meteorite, these diagram sets will be the only versions of these diagrams ever released. So, you know, there’s that…

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Solar Power Satellite art

spacecraft No Responses »

Mar 112014

I *believe* this may be Boeing, but I’m not sure. In any event, it depicts the roughly Manhattan-sized structure that was considered in the NASA SPS studies of the late 1970’s. The vast rectangle is covered with PV arrays; hanging off either end is a microwave energy transmitter.

The energy beam would be intercepted and turned into useful electricity at a vast terrestrial receiver station.

SP-100 art

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Mar 102014

The SP-100 was a 1980’s NASA/DoE/DARPA program to develop a space-based nuclear reactor capable of putting out 100 kilowatts of electrical power. A great deal of progress was made, and plans were in place to use on for space stations, interplanetary probes, military satellites and the like, but of course it was cancelled.

Space Stations And Mars Vehicles

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Feb 232014

A bit of NASA art (same source, and likely same date, as THIS) depicting the late ’80’s Dual Keel Space Station configuration being used as a construction site for a Manned Mars vehicle. Considerable modification to the Station itself would be made to turn it into a functional assembly area. Note that it uses both photovoltaic and solar dynamic power sources.

US Bomber Projects #08, Large formats 01-03 and 04-06 Now Available

bomber, Dyna Soar, hypersonic, launch vehicles, nukes, research, rockets, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane, US Bomber Projects No Responses »

Feb 162014

Now available:

Issue number 08 of US Bomber Projects is now available (for background, see HERE). This issue includes:

Boeing Model 464-27: a slightly-swept turboprop B-52 progenitor
Rockwell D645-6: A minimum-weight spanloader missile carrier
Martin Mach 4.25: A large, manned nuclear ramjet
Boeing Model 484-2-2: A swept-wing, slightly supersonic B-58 competitor
Douglas System 464L: A many-surfaced Dyna Soar spaceplane
Martin Model 223-8: a 1944 step on the road to the XB-48
Boeing Model 801-11A: A Mach 3.5 hydrogen fueled design of incredible range
Martin MAMBA: A mid-1960’s A-10-analog

USBP#08 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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Brand new: larger format drawing collections

The CAD drawings created for USBP reformatted an rescaled for 11X17 collected in separate volumes. Drawings have in some cases been corrected, improved and added to.

USBP 11X17 01-03 collects the diagrams created for issues 01, 02 and 03, including:

Rockwell D 645-1; NAA 1495-25 PAMSS; Boeing Model 701-273-0; Convair B-58-C-1; Lockheed CL-2102-2; Lockheed Model 195-A-13; Martin Model 223-1; Boeing Model 444 A; Rockwell D 645-1: LH2; NAA High Performance Penetrator; Boeing Model 701-273-1; Lockheed GL-232; Boeing Space Sortie; Martin Model 223-2; Boeing Model 461; Northrop Low Altitude Penetrator; Rockwell D 645-4A; Lockheed System 464L; Convair Mach 4 “Rollover;” Boeing Model 701-273-3; Boeing HSCT Model 1080-854; Martin Model 223-3; Boeing Model 462

USBP11x17-01-03 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $11:

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USBP 11X17 04-06 collects the diagrams created for issues 04, 05 and 06, including:

McDonnell System 464L; Lockheed-Martin Falcon; Lockheed Senior Peg; Boeing Mobile Missile Carrier; Boeing Model 701-273-4; Lockheed Cruise Missile Carrier; Boeing Model 462-5; Martin Model 223-4; McDonnell-Douglas ATB; McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing DF-9; Boeing Model 701-273-5; Fairchild N-9; Martin Model 223-5; Rockwell D645-5;North American 464L; Boeing Model 464-17; Boeing Model 464-18; Convair WS-125A; Martin MX-2092; GD AMPSS; Republic System 464L; Martin Model 223-6; Boeing Model 701-273-6; Martin Water-Based Attack Aircraft

USBP11x17-04-06 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $11:

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NASA STAR Clipper artwork

hypersonic, launch vehicles, rockets, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane No Responses »

Feb 142014

A piece of NASA artwork depicting the STAR Clipper, a Lockheed concept for a 1.5 Stage To Orbit space shuttle. Date is uncertain, probably in the 1967-1969 timeframe. Much more on the STAR Clipper can be found in Aerospace Projects Review issue V3N2.

USBP Examples

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Feb 112014

Here are selections from each US Bomber Project issue released so far, plus one from the next issue (#8). Remember, full issues are only four bucks a pop…

USBP & APR suggestions

bomber, Dyna Soar, fighter, launch vehicles, nukes, Recon, rockets, space shuttle, space station, spacecraft, spaceplane, US Bomber Projects 10 Responses »

Feb 102014

For the next few days blogging might be a bit sparse as I work on the next issues of Aerospace Projects Review and US Bomber Projects. Usually when I release one of these, I get a *few* emails, generally complementary, sometimes asking for clarification or pointing out editing/spelling errors, that sort of thing (and with APR, “make go more faster”). I very rarely get “why don’t you include this” or “why don’t you do that” messages. Well… discuss. What would you like to see new and/or different in APR and/or USBP?

Also: the perpetual problem I have with both of these is lack of public knowledge of these titles. Heck, when I did “The Space Show” interview two months ago, I expected a slight bump in business… but sales (and views of the APR blog) actually went *down* slightly in the week afterwards. Damned if I can figure that out. So if anyone has any suggestions on how to get some press for these little endeavors, I’d appreciate ’em. And of course, an increase in interest & sales will mean an increase on *my* part in producing these things faster, so if you want APR and USBP issues at a faster clip, here’s how to get it done.

NAA TSTO

launch vehicles, space shuttle, spacecraft, spaceplane 2 Responses »

Jan 252014

Couple being very ill with desperately trying to make a dime, I’ve not had much opportunity to scour my files recently for aerospace projects to blog about. So here’s one: a notion for a fully reusable two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle produced by North American around 1963. This was part of a study for reusable launchers with a payload of 50 to 100 tons, with the baseline design being a reusable version of the Saturn V.

This design was at the far end of the possible designs, with “nail wings onto S-IC and S-II stages” being on the near-term end. This design would be fully reusable with both stages manned and powered by LOX/LH2 burning expansion-deflection rocket engines. As with many such designs of the time, the wing area is relatively gigantic.

US Bomber Projects #06 and 07 Now Available

bomber, Dyna Soar, hypersonic, launch vehicles, nukes, rockets, spacecraft, spaceplane, US Bomber Projects 1 Response »

Jan 192014

Now available:

Issue number 06 of US Bomber Projects is now available (for background, see HERE). This issue includes:

Boeing Model 464-18: a reduced-size version of the 464-17 turboprop strategic bomber
Convair WS-125A: A supersonic seaplane powered by nuclear reactors
Martin MX-2092: a subsonic jet bomber that towed a large missile
GD AMPSS: A 1963 variable geometry design leading towards the B-1
Republic System 464L: a lifting body spaceplane with a nuclear bomb on its back
Martin Model 223-6: a 1944 step on the road to the XB-48
Boeing Model 701-273-6: A supersonic bomber composed of two linked aircraft
Martin Water-Based Attack Aircraft: a single-seat strike plane capable of water takeoffs & landings

USBP#06 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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US Bomber Projects #07 is also now available. This issue includes:

Boeing Model 464-25: a modification of the 464-17 turboprop bomber with slightly swept wings, among other changes
Boeing Model 828-2: a giant and incredibly slow long-endurance plane with a formidable payload
Fairchild N-12: an early nuclear powered turboprop design
Rockwell D645-3: a supersonic treetop-level bomber capable of completely stowing its wing
Boeing model 701-273-7: last in the study, a design with a large wing, a small fuselage and canards
Bell MX-Carrying Hovercraft: a large armored hovercraft complete with an MX missile and self-defense interceptor missiles
Convair System 464L: Dyna Soar I and Dyna Soar III spaceplanes
Martin Model 223-7: A 1944 ancestor to the XB-48 with vertically stacked engines

USBP#07 can be downloaded as a PDF file for only $4.25:

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