A decade after the final retirement of Lockheed Martin’s Mach-3 SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, the Air Force is preparing to test a plane that flies more than three times as fast. Two Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicles, built by Lockheed Martin with input from NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), will take to the air in 2008. The $100-million program aims to field a Mach-10 unmanned aircraft that can spy on foreign powers, drop bombs or even lob satellites into orbit.
The Blackbird, which was first retired in 1990 then briefly resurrected between 1995 and 1997, reached its Mach-3 top speed by way of its hybrid Pratt & Whitney J-58 engines, which featured a conventional turbojet engine installed inside a ramjet optimized for supersonic flight. At low speeds, the turbojet did most of the work; at high speed the turbojet throttled back and the ramjet took over.
Engineers are improving on this so-called “combined cycle” to propel the Falcon, using a more powerful “scramjet” in place of the ramjet. “We need propulsion that transitions seamlessly from Mach 0 to Mach 9 or 10,” says Lockheed Martin’s Bob Baumgartner.
“For low speed, we’re looking at turbine engines that can perform at speeds from Mach 0 to Mach 4, then a scramjet … that takes over anywhere between Mach 2 and Mach 4 and goes up to higher Mach numbers — depending on the fuel, up to Mach 10,” says Steven Walker, a Darpa researcher. “For sure, we know how turbines work, but we don’t have turbines that work at Mach 4.“
“The scramjets are still at a low-technology readiness level,” he adds. “Combining both flow-paths and looking at how you transition from one to the other and the transition back … that’s all new, break-through technology.“
“Thermal protection … is the next major enabling technology,” Baumgartner says, referring to ways of coping with the high temperatures that Mach-10 flight generates. “We’re looking at durable metallic thermal protection panels to withstand heat and keep it away from structure. We’re also looking at ceramic panels.“
Foil insulation is an option too, he continues. And for the engines, developers are looking at new ceramic or metal-alloy coatings that can withstand temperatures reaching thousands of degrees.
Lockheed Martin’s Craig Johnston, who works on a hypersonic engine project, sees many applications for Falcon and similar vehicles. “I can easily envision this technology eventually making its way into advanced aircraft … something like long-range strike aircraft, supersonic bombers or future fighters.“
Darpa also foresees using Falcon to cheaply launch small satellites. “Falcon will develop a low cost, responsive Small Launch Vehicle that can be launched for $5 million or less,” an agency statement reads. “The SLV will be capable of launching small satellites into sun-synchronous orbits and will provide the nation a new, small-payload access to space capability.“
–David Axe
Falcon Fills Blackbird’s Shoes
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{ 88 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting but so many claims from the PR people.
So:
- the engines appear to be at a middle stage of development
- thermal protection has not been decided (noting thermal protection delays and ongoing risks basically killed the Space Shuttle)
yet it will fly in “2008″. 2008 will presumably only be low altitude tests with existing engines (I’d say 2015 for a real test). I suppose DoD need to con money from Congress with typically optimistic claims.
Similarly the cheap payload launch claim has been used by every small satellite lauch venture. Launching 12,000lbs (so far) sounds like it will be developed into a full size launcher anyway. Weight increases for new capabilities almost always happens.
Pete
I wouldn’t count DARPA out. They overcome seemingly impossible technological hurdles time and time again with minimal budgets. I say if DARPA says they can do it, they’re one of the few research agencies or companies out there that truly can.
Re: davids A-12 interceptor comment, reports I’ve read on the D-21 series of unmanned Mach 2+ drones—launched from the back of modified SR-71s during the 1960′s—were proven to be hazardous to the health of the crew and very unreliable for then state-of-the-art autonomous control (most of ‘em crashed). I think you’re on the right track, tho’, as modern technology could certainly fix the problems faced by that program. Maybe launch an X-45A from an SR-71′s back???
Keep in mind that they only release reduced performance stats. I’m sure this thing can actually do more. The capability they are talking about has been around since the “Aurora” was first talked about several years ago.
I wonder what aviation pioneers like Chuck Yeager think of this new remote control aircraft. No Pilot, no guts, no glory, just someone sitting on a chair with a computer screen. Wake me up when it’s over so I can land it…
Probably flying already. Will give the Tonapoh/Area 51 Crowd something to stay up late for.
Heat tiles? You would think from past that we had improved and mastered.
Onward thru the Fog.
On: October 19, 2006, DavidS wrote:
The Phonex missile (snip) might be able to knock down a sat.
Yup.
Around 1987, I think.
I was reading about this on NASA’s site several years ago. They were claiming Florida to South Africa in about four hours. Even gave a detailed description on how the thing works. Run it up on turbines, turn on the scramjets for a bit, shut them off let her fall, turn them on, take her higher, repete process. They were announcing final testing prior to turning it over to the private sector for further development. you could run a Scramjet search on both NASA’s and Wikipedia’s sites for more details.
You need to read American Scientific Journal’s for August and September this year to catch up.
Looks an awful lot like the “nonexistent” Aurora, that “does not exist”
This a great achievement for military science, but just think about the cost! One tenth of the funds used would help out the families of those killed in Iraq.
Thermal protection systems (TPS–not necessarily “heat tiles”) have not progressed as far as you think. I was at the meeting of the NASA Advisory Council last week and the chair of the Aeronautics Committee, Neil Armstrong (yeah, him) discussed the status of TPS in the US today. He and another member stated that it has been stagnant for many years. I forget a number of the specifics, but something happened a few years back that essentially led to substantial downsizing in this area. They lost a lot of expertise.
They also had an interesting but confusing chart that showed temperature ranges for different kinds of vehicles and the materials needed to serve as TPS. Above a certain range, you have to resort to ablative systems, and they said that American capabilities in ablatives have taken a hit in recent years. For instance, they said that the US no longer has the capability to manufacture the kind of ablative system that was used on the Galileo probe at Jupiter in 1995. They wanted the NASA Advisory Council to recommend a joint NASA-DoD research effort in high-temperature TPS.
“…think about the cost”? This techonology could further assist with production of viable reusable space-craft which will then lessen the cost of general space-travel overall. The cost of this project can greatly reduce the cost of future technologies. You have to progress to reduce.
Re. “heat tiles” on Navy ships… those were probably anechoic tiles to reduce the craft’s radar signature.
Seems to me that the proper light-weight laminated ceramic composites could be the right answer for suitable TPS needed for hypersonic speeds and beyond. We sent in thisds respect a proposal to the MDA06-028 solicitation. The proposal refers to Missile Body Structures but will work also for hypersonic scramejet fuselage and, with some modifications for the TPS shields during re-entry. The C-C composite is really an ultra light-weight solution but not for the suborbital and endo-atmopshere flights in hypersonic mode.
If I am not mistaken this is basicaly the Aruora project is it not… But the adavantages are great if they make it work out…
Seeing how NASA came out to the public in late 2004 and stated that what they had done in the past 30 years, as far as MIR and the International Space Station, had mostly been wasted money, wasted time, and wasted experiments, I don’t see how NASA can ultimately explain the usefulness of this project.
And just as MIR and the International Space Station, they were useful ideas on paper, but what happens when the authority is given to NASA to spend billions? ….Just look at their recent history….
Can you imagine? Flying through an enemy’s air space at Mach 10, dropping your nuclear payload and being long gone before the first bomb hits the ground. “Semper Fi, Do or Die, Oorah, Oorah”
Perhaps someone should make this crystal clear to Kim Jung Ill, the city fathers of Pyongyang, Mahmoud Aberdijand and the city fathers of Tehran that we are capable of cruising through their air space so fast that they’ll never see us coming and never see us leaving. All they’ll see is their respective major cities go “POOF”, back to the dust from which they came.
Mach 10 merely means that the SAM is fired with more of an offset to lead the target.
I would think his would be good considering the Chinese are trying to blind our satellites with lasers.Plus the idea of launching space based weaponry quickly would be good also.
i think it looks cool
This is so typical. They’ve been flying this “aircraft” since the Reagan administration…This is the so-called “Aurora.” The difference is that Aurora was only being used for reconnaissance. The newer version (which has been upgraded constantly over the last 20+ years or so) will be used to conduct surgical strikes around the globe.
Do they really expect us to believe that the development of this craft will take a little over a year? Come on. They’ve been flying this thing for a while now.
The “Aurora” this is not. The Aurora had nothing to do with planes. The actual aurora project wasn’t that fascinating it was just a way of testing electronics to see if they could withstand the radiation from a nuclear blast. But this plane would be a great way to reach out and touch our enemies and be gone before they knew we were there.
I assume “$100-million” was a typo, and they meant “$100-billion”… they’ll probably cost around 2 to 5 billion apiece to build. I remember reading about scramjets many years ago… at least five, probably more.
A previous comment was “I Think it looks cool”. Well, I agree. It looks just like the airplane I used to make by folding sheets of paper when I was in school. I believe it will fly better and faster than any other design.
Jack Northrop is getting sweet revenge on the engineers of the late 1940 and 1950.
About 15-20 or so years back; there was a book called “Eagles” (can’t think of the authors name) centering around F-15 pilots. Part of the story involved a test of prototype F-15 utilizing the same technology for use in fast movement of fighters to Europe in case of a Soviet confrontation (remember, this was back during the Cold War). At the time, it was very a interesting read.
I thought the Blackbird could go faster than Mach 3. Could it not go from New York to California in a smidgen over an hour. That would be 3000 miles per hour, or better than Mach 4. Correct me if I’m wrong.
The SR71 was interesting but Tell me what can you do with a plane that fly 7000 mph
An unmanned spy plane…. Hmmm, that scenario was first proposed by Jack Northrop back in the late forties, I think. The powers that be (were) thought he was insane. It’d be nice if he were still alive to be able to give a good horselaugh to his detractors now, wouldn’t it??
Sounds “GEE WIZ”….
Does it work? Or is it DREAMS?
Show me!!!!!!!!!
Sign me “History Student” AND a NAVY Vet!!!!!
So how far to go from upper atmosphere to space and back? The ISS is just waiting for a new taxi!
Does the world really need this? When will the paranoia and insanity end? We haven’t shown an ability to address a plethora of social needs–a large population of homeless, millions without access to medical care, and an educational system that is floundering, to cite only a few. As a nation we find the funds to incarcerate nonviolent fools, but have little for proactive cure or rehabilitation. If the technology filters down to the civilian sector it might be justified. An aging veteran who was proud to serve and would do so again if needed, but no longer gullible enough to be swayed by the Washington hype.
We can do this no doubt, but we can’t find Osama Bin Laden in his cave??? I just don’t get it. Our priorities seem to be toy related, and not focused on the realities. Bush just admitted we might have failed in Baghdad. And Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist are still at large. It seems the higher we go the less we see. Come down to earth, get the job done here and then play with toys. Our boots on the ground are in trouble, we need to focus all our technologies there, we need to see through rock and we need to boost the human element far beyond where it is now. Unless we
We need this technology to stay ahead of our enemies. With this vehicle we could take out North Korean or Iranian Nuke facilties with ease. If our country is going to continue to exist in a constantly changing and more hazardous world we have to stay ahead technology wise.
I agree and disagree with all the post that do we really need it right now? maybe not but some day in the future for sure. But right now, we need to get that evil chicken sh@t Osama from his hiding hole in the ground just as we found the other underground rat in Iraq. I can’t believe Osama hasn’t been caught yet. We’re so busy using artifiical means instead of straight up man power that we have become afraid to do things without the aid of high-tech gear.
The real problem is the political process which is completely full of it. Weapons of mass destruction? yeah right. We are on our own path to our own destruction. We couldn’t even deal with a storm when Katrina hit, nor can we find the mass murderer of the W.T.C terrorist attacks. People hate us all over the world, and many nations that hate us just said blood will run if they are messed with in any way. Something is going to give real soon.
History has always shown that the mightiest nations have always fallen at the hight of it’s power.
Is is our turn… …Now?
gee, if the aircraft is actually like the picture posted wouldn’t that help explain the rash of delta shaped ufo’s that have been seen worldwide over the last few years that fly at very high rates of speed? remember that the f-117 was flying long before it’s extistence was acknowledeged not to mention the falcons’ predecessor the sr-71.
Why does the US always launch “spy” planes when all others launch “reconaisance” aircraft?
The US military refers to these aircraft as reconaissance aircraft, the incorrect “spy” misnomer is erroneously used by the media. And,I would like to add, that error puts the crews of those aircraft at risk.
The platform design is a lift body. A hydrogen slurry fuel was to circulate through out the airframe to cool the skin. The skin itself was to be ‘intelligent’ yielding constant data to the computer system on board.
Lift body theory existed in World War II. However we did not have the computational power or material to move the theory into reality until somewhere in the 1960′s and 70′s. The German’s and the United States both had unstable aircraft design’s ( reverse swept wing ). Russia has an operational reverse swept wing aircraft in its arsenal now.
The B-71 Valkyrie was the first aircraft to ride on its own shock wave. It was cancelled after an accident and we were told we did not need a supersonic bomber. So why are we moving into hypersonic’s?
Why have we stopped producing variable wing aircraft?
There are alot of discoveries you really do not know about. If you did your reasearch, you would obviously know that the capabilities of LM, are much more than some give credit for. That’s a clue that thirty years is a laugh compared to what I know. I guess you will have to wait and see when you wake up at night and look out your window to see nothing but a refractory sonic pulse in the sky, with nothing more.
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I remember one of my aerospace professors at KU 15 years ago talk about the engine arrangement in the SR-71 / YF-12 as being two different engines side by side. At low speeds a ram would move a vane that would divert the flow into a turbine and at high speeds the flow would be allowed to flow straight into the scramjet. Of course there was no way of knowing for sure. I also remember my Dad telling me about the SR-71 doing night operations out of a hangar in Myrtle Beach in 1962. It would leave under the cover of darkness, leaking fuel everywhere when it left. It was usually seen flying south and then a couple hours later it would come back with its nose and wing tips glowing bright orange. It would come back at night and would park in its own separate hangar. Even the base commander wasn’t allowed in there I was told. Its amazing what that bird from the Skunk works could do.
Lockheed Martin, well it wasn’t LMC back then built the ASAT ( anti-satellite missle) back in the 80′s. It was launched from the belly of an F-14 flying straight up. They actually shot down a retired satellite with it. Old news!
The picture is not new, we invesnted this in the 1960′s here in the United Kingdom, it’s called a Waverider. Obviously the Americans are making another claim at inventing something new, just like the rocket and jet plane ;)
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Could the Falcon be cover for the Aurora Hypersonic Manned Plane?