Enclosed in its payload fairing, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) emerges from the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida, near NASA's Kennedy Space Center. GOES-R will be transported to the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The satellite will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in November. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation NOAA GOES Satellites. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

NASA image use policy.

Grey Hawk - Mach 8-10 - 7th / 8th Gen Hypersonic Super Fighter Aircraft, IO Aircraft www.ioaircraft.com

New peek, very little is posted or public. Grey Hawk - Mach 8-10 Hypersonic 7th/8th Gen Super Fighter. This is not a graphics design, but ready to be built this moment. Heavy CFD, Design Work, Systems, etc.

All technologies developed and refined. Can out maneuver an F22 or SU-35 all day long subsonically, and no missile on earth could catch it. Lots of details omitted intentionally, but even internal payload capacity is double the F-22 Raptor. - www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic.php

Length: 60'

Span: 30'

Engines: 2 U-TBCC (Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle)

2 360° Thrust Vectoring Center Turbines

Fuel: Kero / Hydrogen

Payload: Up to 4 2,000 LBS JDAM's Internally

Up to 6 2,000 LBS JDAM's Externally

Range: 5,000nm + Aerial Refueling Capable

www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic.php

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hypersonic fighter, hypersonic fighter plane, hawc, tgv, tactical glide vehicle, hypersonic commercial aircraft, hypersonic commercial plane, hypersonic aircraft, hypersonic plane, hypersonic airline, tbcc, glide breaker, fighter plane, hypersonic fighter, boeing phantom express, phantom works, boeing phantom works, lockheed skunk works, hypersonic weapon, hypersonic missile, scramjet engineering, scramjet physics, boost glide, tactical glide vehicle, space plane, scramjet, turbine based combined cycle, ramjet, dual mode ramjet, defense science, missile defense agency, aerospike, hydrogen aircraft, airlines, military, physics, airline, aerion supersonic, aerion, spike aerospace, boom supersonic, , darpa, onr, navair, afrl, air force research lab, office of naval research, defense advanced research project agency, afosr, socom, arl, army future command, mda, missile defense agenci, dia, defense intelligence agency, air force of science and research,

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Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle. Current technologies and what Lockheed is trying to force on the Dept of Defense, for that low speed Mach 5 plane DOD gave them $1 billion to build and would disintegrate above Mach 5, is TBCC. 2 separate propulsion systems in the same airframe, which requires TWICE the airframe space to use.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle is 1 propulsion system cutting that airframe deficit in half, and also able to operate above Mach 10 up to Mach 15 in atmosphere, and a simple nozzle modification allows for outside atmosphere rocket mode, ie orbital capable.

Additionally, Reaction Engines maximum air breather mode is Mach 4.5, above that it will explode in flight from internal pressures are too high to operate. Thus, must switch to non air breather rocket mode to operate in atmosphere in hypersonic velocities. Which as a result, makes it not feasible for anything practical. It also takes an immense amount of fuel to function.

-------------

Advanced Additive Manufacturing for Hypersonic Aircraft

Utilizing new methods of fabrication and construction, make it possible to use additive manufacturing, dramatically reducing the time and costs of producing hypersonic platforms from missiles, aircraft, and space capable craft. Instead of aircraft being produced in piece, then bolted together; small platforms can be produced as a single unit and large platforms can be produces in large section and mated without bolting. These techniques include using exotic materials and advanced assembly processes, with an end result of streamlining the production costs and time for hypersonic aircraft; reducing months of assembly to weeks. Overall, this process greatly reduced the cost for producing hypersonic platforms. Even to such an extent that a Hellfire missile costs apx $100,000 but by utilizing our technologies, replacing it with a Mach 8-10 hypersonic missile of our physics/engineering and that missile would cost roughly $75,000 each delivered.

Materials used for these manufacturing processes are not disclosed, but overall, provides a foundation for extremely high stresses and thermodynamics, ideal for hypersonic platforms. This specific methodology and materials applications is many decades ahead of all known programs. Even to the extend of normalized space flight and re-entry, without concern of thermodynamic failure.

*Note, most entities that are experimenting with additive manufacturing for hypersonic aircraft, this makes it mainstream and standardized processes, which also applies for mass production.

What would normally be measured in years and perhaps a decade to go from drawing board to test flights, is reduced to singular months and ready for production within a year maximum.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle (U-TBCC)

To date, the closest that NASA and industry have achieved for turbine based aircraft to fly at hypersonic velocities is by mounting a turbine into an aircraft and sharing the inlet with a scramjet or rocket based motor. Reaction Engines Sabre is not able to achieve hypersonic velocities and can only transition into a non air breathing rocket for beyond Mach 4.5

However, utilizing Unified Turbine Based Combine Cycle also known as U-TBCC, the two separate platforms are able to share a common inlet and the dual mode ramjet/scramjet is contained within the engine itself, which allows for a much smaller airframe footprint, thus engingeers are able to then design much higher performance aerial platforms for hypersonic flight, including the ability for constructing true single stage to orbit aircraft by utilizing a modification/version that allows for transition to outside atmosphere propulsion without any other propulsion platforms within the aircraft. By transitioning and developing aircraft to use Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle, this propulsion system opens up new options to replace that airframe deficit for increased fuel capacity and/or payload.

Enhanced Dynamic Cavitation

Dramatically Increasing the efficiency of fuel air mixture for combustion processes at hypersonic velocities within scramjet propulsion platforms. The aspects of these processes are non disclosable.

Dynamic Scramjet Ignition Processes

For optimal scramjet ignition, a process known as Self Start is sought after, but in many cases if the platform becomes out of attitude, the scramjet will ignite. We have already solved this problem which as a result, a scramjet propulsion system can ignite at lower velocities, high velocities, at optimal attitude or not optimal attitude. It doesn't matter, it will ignite anyways at the proper point for maximum thrust capabilities at hypersonic velocities.

Hydrogen vs Kerosene Fuel Sources

Kerosene is an easy fuel to work with, and most western nations developing scramjet platforms use Kerosene for that fact. However, while kerosene has better thermal properties then Hydrogen, Hydrogen is a far superior fuel source in scramjet propulsion flight, do it having a much higher efficiency capability. Because of this aspect, in conjunction with our developments, it allows for a MUCH increased fuel to air mixture, combustion, thrust; and ability for higher speeds; instead of very low hypersonic velocities in the Mach 5-6 range. Instead, Mach 8-10 range, while we have begun developing hypersonic capabilities to exceed 15 in atmosphere within less then 5 years.

Conforming High Pressure Tank Technology for CNG and H2.

As most know in hypersonics, Hydrogen is a superior fuel source, but due to the storage abilities, can only be stored in cylinders thus much less fuel supply. Not anymore, we developed conforming high pressure storage technology for use in aerospace, automotive sectors, maritime, etc; which means any overall shape required for 8,000+ PSI CNG or Hydrogen. For hypersonic platforms, this means the ability to store a much larger volume of hydrogen vs cylinders.

As an example, X-43 flown by Nasa which flew at Mach 9.97. The fuel source was Hydrogen, which is extremely more volatile and combustible then kerosene (JP-7), via a cylinder in the main body. If it had used our technology, that entire section of the airframe would had been an 8,000 PSI H2 tank, which would had yielded 5-6 times the capacity. While the X-43 flew 11 seconds under power at Mach 9.97, at 6 times the fuel capacity would had yielded apx 66 seconds of fuel under power at Mach 9.97. If it had flew slower, around Mach 6, same principles applied would had yielded apx 500 seconds of fuel supply under power (slower speeds required less energy to maintain).

Enhanced Fuel Mixture During Shock Train Interaction

Normally, fuel injection is conducted at the correct insertion point within the shock train for maximum burn/combustion. Our methodologies differ, since almost half the fuel injection is conducted PRE shock train within the isolator, so at the point of isolator injection the fuel enhances the combustion process, which then requires less fuel injection to reach the same level of thrust capabilities.

Improved Bow Shock Interaction

Smoother interaction at hypersonic velocities and mitigating heat/stresses for beyond Mach 6 thermodynamics, which extraordinarily improves Type 3, 4, and 5 shock interaction.

6,000+ Fahrenheit Thermal Resistance

To date, the maximum thermal resistance was tested at AFRL in the spring of 2018, which resulted in a 3,200F thermal resistance for a short duration. This technology, allows for normalized hypersonic thermal resistance of 3,000-3,500F sustained, and up to 6,500F resistance for short endurance, ie 90 seconds or less. 10-20 minute resistance estimate approximately 4,500F +/- 200F.

*** This technology advancement also applies to Aerospike rocket engines, in which it is common for Aerospike's to exceed 4,500-5,000F temperatures, which results in the melting of the reversed bell housing. That melting no longer ocurrs, providing for stable combustion to ocurr for the entire flight envelope

Scramjet Propulsion Side Wall Cooling

With old technologies, side wall cooling is required for hypersonic flight and scramjet propulsion systems, otherwise the isolator and combustion regions of a scramjet would melt, even using advanced ablatives and ceramics, due to their inability to cope with very high temperatures. Using technology we have developed for very high thermodynamics and high stresses, side wall cooling is no longer required, thus removing that variable from the design process and focusing on improved ignition processes and increasing net thrust values.

Lower Threshold for Hypersonic Ignition

Active and adaptive flight dynamics, resulting in the ability for scramjet ignition at a much lower velocity, ie within ramjet envelope, between Mach 2-4, and seamless transition from supersonic to hypersonic flight, ie supersonic ramjet (scramjet). This active and dynamic aspect, has a wide variety of parameters for many flight dynamics, velocities, and altitudes; which means platforms no longer need to be engineered for specific altitude ranges or preset velocities, but those parameters can then be selected during launch configuration and are able to adapt actively in flight.

Dramatically Improved Maneuvering Capabilities at Hypersonic Velocities

Hypersonic vehicles, like their less technologically advanced brethren, use large actuator and the developers hope those controls surfaces do not disintegrate in flight. In reality, it is like rolling the dice, they may or may not survive, hence another reason why the attempt to keep velocities to Mach 6 or below. We have shrunken down control actuators while almost doubling torque and response capabilities specifically for hypersonic dynamics and extreme stresses involved, which makes it possible for maximum input authority for Mach 10 and beyond.

Paradigm Shift in Control Surface Methodologies, Increasing Control Authority (Internal Mechanical Applications)

To date, most control surfaces for hypersonic missile platforms still use fins, similar to lower speed conventional missiles, and some using ducted fins. This is mostly due to lack of comprehension of hypersonic velocities in their own favor. Instead, the body itself incorporates those control surfaces, greatly enhancing the airframe strength, opening up more space for hardware and fuel capacity; while simultaneously enhancing the platforms maneuvering capabilities.

A scramjet missile can then fly like conventional missile platforms, and not straight and level at high altitudes, losing velocity on it's decent trajectory to target. Another added benefit to this aspect, is the ability to extend range greatly, so if anyone elses hypersonic missile platform were developed for 400 mile range, falling out of the sky due to lack of glide capabilities; our platforms can easily reach 600+ miles, with minimal glide deceleration.

Enclosed in its payload fairing, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) departs from the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida, near NASA's Kennedy Space Center. GOES-R will be transported to the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The satellite will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in November. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation NOAA GOES Satellites. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

NASA image use policy.

Enclosed in its payload fairing, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) is moved out of the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida, near NASA's Kennedy Space Center. GOES-R will be transported to the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The satellite will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in November. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation NOAA GOES Satellites. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

NASA image use policy.

With the end of the basketball season, I've now been able to start catching up on all the half-built models sitting around the house. First up was an Intermountain 60' flat car kit- I added some lead weight into the frame, then topped it off with a First Gear brand die-cast International Payloader 560 load with blocking and chains. The car was weathered with chalks and acrylic paints, Kadee 58s and metal wheels were added.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are underway for late cargo installation in the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

NASA image use policy.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, CALIF. The SciSat-1 payload, with fairing installed and attached to its Pegasus launch vehicle, begins rollout to the hot pad and mating to the L-1011 carrier aircraft. The SciSat-1 weighs approximately 330 pounds and after launch will be placed in a 400-mile-high polar orbit to investigate processes that control the distribution of ozone in the upper atmosphere. The data from the satellite will provide Canadian and international scientists with improved measurements relating to global ozone processes and help policymakers assess existing environmental policy and develop protective measures for improving the health of our atmosphere, preventing further ozone depletion. The mission is designed to last two years. Image from NASA, originally appeared on this site: science.ksc.nasa.gov/gallery/photos/ Reposted by San Diego Air and Space Museum

We stayed at 'The cabin', owned my members of our family in a secluded spot on Adams Lake, and enjoyed seven days of the most unique solitude and bliss with just Mother nature, some Chipmunks, paddle boards and Canoes as company. No electricity, no cell phones, no contact with the outside world. A tonic for the soul. The cabin was constructed by the grandparents of Jim and Betty Ann English, way back when Adams lake had yet to be discovered, and now consists of three separate and beautifully charming buildings, the main cabin, Tanglefoot and the Boat House.

Photograph taken at 19:50pm at an altitude of Four hundred and sixteen metres on Wednesday 10th September 2014 in the wilderness, off Adams Forest Services Road, on the shoreline of Adams Lake in British Columbia, Canada. Adams Lake is a large, deep, coldwater lake, with a maximum depth of Five hundred metres, the southern end of the lake is approximately 30 km north of the town of Chase in the Shuswap Country region of British Columbia, Canada

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Nikon D800 19mm 1/3s f/2.8 iso100 RAW (14 bit) Manual focus. Manual exposure. Matrix metering. Auto white balance.

Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED IF. Nikon MB-D12 battery grip. Two Nikon EN-EL batteries. Nikon DK-17M Magnifying Eyepiece. Nikon DK-19 soft rubber eyecup. Manfrotto MT057C3 057 Carbon Fiber Tripod 3 Sections (Payload 18kgs). Manfrotto MH057M0-RC4 057 Magnesium Ball Head with RC4 Quick Release (Payload 15kgs). Manfrotto quick release plate 410PL-14.Jessops Tripod bag. Optech Tripod Strap.Digi-Chip 64GB Class 10 UHS-1 SDXC. Lowepro Transporter camera strap. Lowepro Vertex 200 AW camera bag. Nikon MC-DC2 remote shutter release. Nikon GP-1 GPS unit.

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LATITUDE: N 51d 4m 30.97s

LONGITUDE: W 119d 45m 31.62s

ALTITUDE: 416.0m

RAW (TIFF) FILE SIZE: 103.00MB

PROCESSED (JPeg) SIZE: 8.45MB

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PROCESSING POWER:

HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU processor. AMD Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB SATA storage. 64-bit Windows 8.1. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon VIEWNX2 Version 2.10.3 64bit. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit

Enclosed in its payload fairing, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) departs from the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida, near NASA's Kennedy Space Center. GOES-R will be transported to the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The satellite will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in November. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation NOAA GOES Satellites. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians begin late cargo installation in the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are underway for final stowage of powered cargo in the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Bill White

NASA image use policy.

Discovery SSTO V8.2 - Single Stage to Orbit Heavy Lift, Hypersonic Aircraft - 70 TON Payload - IO Aircraft

IO Aircraft: www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic/discovery-218.php

Discovery SSTO V8.2 Specs

Length: 218FT/ Span: 102.58FT / Palyload Bay: 60' L X 16' 7" W X 16' 7" H / Span: 70 Ton (140,000 LBS)

Engines: U-TBCC (Unified Turbined Based Combined Cycle) Inc/Zero Atmosphere

Inlets: Adaptive REST, Originally Hapb/Larc NASA

Fuel: 140,000 Gallons 12,000+ PSI H2 / 90,000 Gallons 12,000+ PSI O2

Fuel Weight: Apx 72,000 LBS Total / *If liquid, would be 1.4 Million LBS

Weight: Apx 250,000 LBS EOW/Dry Weight / Apx 510,000 T/O Weight, Max Payload

Airframe: 75+% Proprietary Advanced Composites, 400,000 PSI Tensile Strength Airframe / *NO Ceramic Tiles

Thermals: 6,000F Thermal Resistance

Estimated Cost: $1.2 Billion Each (Fly Away Price) or $900 million in batches of 5

Estimated Launch Cost: Apx $30 Million at 140,000 LBS, Including Maintenance Costs / Under $250 per pound at Maximum Paylaod Wieght *Could Drop to Below $50 per LBS

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single stage to orbit, ssto, space plane, falcon heavy, delta iv, hypersonic commercial aircraft, hypersonic commercial plane, hypersonic aircraft, hypersonic plane, ICAO, International Civil Aviation Orginization, hypersonic airline, tbcc, glide breaker, fighter plane, hyperonic fighter, boeing phantom express, phantom works, boeing phantom works, lockheed skunk works, hypersonic weapon, hypersonic missile, scramjet engineering, scramjet physics, boost glide, tactical glide vehicle, scramjet, turbine based combined cycle, ramjet, dual mode ramjet, darpa, onr, navair, afrl, air force research lab, office of naval research, defense advanced research project agency, defense science, missile defense agency, aerospike, hydrogen fueled, hydrogen aircraft, virgin airlines, united airlines, sas, finnair ,emirates airlines, ANA, JAL, airlines, military, physics, airline, british airways, air france, aerion supersonic, aerion, spike aerospace, boom supersonic,

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Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle. Current technologies and what Lockheed is trying to force on the Dept of Defense, for that low speed Mach 5 plane DOD gave them $1 billion to build and would disintegrate above Mach 5, is TBCC. 2 separate propulsion systems in the same airframe, which requires TWICE the airframe space to use.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle is 1 propulsion system cutting that airframe deficit in half, and also able to operate above Mach 10 up to Mach 15 in atmosphere, and a simple nozzle modification allows for outside atmosphere rocket mode, ie orbital capable.

Additionally, Reaction Engines maximum air breather mode is Mach 4.5, above that it will explode in flight from internal pressures are too high to operate. Thus, must switch to non air breather rocket mode to operate in atmosphere in hypersonic velocities. Which as a result, makes it not feasible for anything practical. It also takes an immense amount of fuel to function.

The service and payload modules are unloaded from the Antonov transport.

To read more about the Metop-B satellite launch, please click here.

Copyright 2012 EUMETSAT.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the hatch on the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module is open for final stowage of powered cargo. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Bill White

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare several Nanoracks for installation on the exterior of the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than March 21, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare to install several Nanoracks on the exterior of the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than March 21, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians use a special mechanism to assist with late cargo installation in the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

NASA image use policy.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers attach a crane to the Mars Exploration Rover-1 (MER-B) as they prepare to lift it onto a spin table during preflight processing of the spacecraft. The rover is scheduled to launch aboard a Delta II rocket on June 25. NASAs twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans are not yet able to go. The launch of MER-2 (MER-A) is tentatively set for June 8. Image from NASA, originally appeared on this site: science.ksc.nasa.gov/gallery/photos/ Reposted by San Diego Air and Space Museum

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility look over Mars Exploration Rover-1, which is ready for prelaunch testing including deployment of the lander petals, the rover's solar arrays, camera mast and camera. While at KSC, each of the two rovers, their aeroshells and landers will undergo a full mission simulation. After spin balance testing, each spacecraft will be mated to a solid propellant upper stage booster that will propel the spacecraft out of Earth orbit. Approximately 10 days before launch they will be transported to the launch pad for mating with their respective Boeing Delta II rockets. The rovers will serve as robotic geologists to seek answers about the evolution of Mars, particularly for a history of water. The rovers are identical to each other, and will land at different regions of Mars. Launch of the MER-1 is scheduled for May 30. MER-2 will follow June 25. Image from NASA, originally appeared on this site: science.ksc.nasa.gov/gallery/photos/ Reposted by San Diego Air and Space Museum

Grey Hawk - Mach 8-10 - 7th / 8th Gen Hypersonic Super Fighter Aircraft, IO Aircraft www.ioaircraft.com

New peek, very little is posted or public. Grey Hawk - Mach 8-10 Hypersonic 7th/8th Gen Super Fighter. This is not a graphics design, but ready to be built this moment. Heavy CFD, Design Work, Systems, etc.

All technologies developed and refined. Can out maneuver an F22 or SU-35 all day long subsonically, and no missile on earth could catch it. Lots of details omitted intentionally, but even internal payload capacity is double the F-22 Raptor. - www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic.php

Length: 60'

Span: 30'

Engines: 2 U-TBCC (Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle)

2 360° Thrust Vectoring Center Turbines

Fuel: Kero / Hydrogen

Payload: Up to 4 2,000 LBS JDAM's Internally

Up to 6 2,000 LBS JDAM's Externally

Range: 5,000nm + Aerial Refueling Capable

www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic.php

-----------------------------

hypersonic fighter, hypersonic fighter plane, hawc, tgv, tactical glide vehicle, hypersonic commercial aircraft, hypersonic commercial plane, hypersonic aircraft, hypersonic plane, hypersonic airline, tbcc, glide breaker, fighter plane, hypersonic fighter, boeing phantom express, phantom works, boeing phantom works, lockheed skunk works, hypersonic weapon, hypersonic missile, scramjet engineering, scramjet physics, boost glide, tactical glide vehicle, space plane, scramjet, turbine based combined cycle, ramjet, dual mode ramjet, defense science, missile defense agency, aerospike, hydrogen aircraft, airlines, military, physics, airline, aerion supersonic, aerion, spike aerospace, boom supersonic, , darpa, onr, navair, afrl, air force research lab, office of naval research, defense advanced research project agency, afosr, socom, arl, army future command, mda, missile defense agenci, dia, defense intelligence agency, air force of science and research,

-----------------------------

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle. Current technologies and what Lockheed is trying to force on the Dept of Defense, for that low speed Mach 5 plane DOD gave them $1 billion to build and would disintegrate above Mach 5, is TBCC. 2 separate propulsion systems in the same airframe, which requires TWICE the airframe space to use.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle is 1 propulsion system cutting that airframe deficit in half, and also able to operate above Mach 10 up to Mach 15 in atmosphere, and a simple nozzle modification allows for outside atmosphere rocket mode, ie orbital capable.

Additionally, Reaction Engines maximum air breather mode is Mach 4.5, above that it will explode in flight from internal pressures are too high to operate. Thus, must switch to non air breather rocket mode to operate in atmosphere in hypersonic velocities. Which as a result, makes it not feasible for anything practical. It also takes an immense amount of fuel to function.

-------------

Advanced Additive Manufacturing for Hypersonic Aircraft

Utilizing new methods of fabrication and construction, make it possible to use additive manufacturing, dramatically reducing the time and costs of producing hypersonic platforms from missiles, aircraft, and space capable craft. Instead of aircraft being produced in piece, then bolted together; small platforms can be produced as a single unit and large platforms can be produces in large section and mated without bolting. These techniques include using exotic materials and advanced assembly processes, with an end result of streamlining the production costs and time for hypersonic aircraft; reducing months of assembly to weeks. Overall, this process greatly reduced the cost for producing hypersonic platforms. Even to such an extent that a Hellfire missile costs apx $100,000 but by utilizing our technologies, replacing it with a Mach 8-10 hypersonic missile of our physics/engineering and that missile would cost roughly $75,000 each delivered.

Materials used for these manufacturing processes are not disclosed, but overall, provides a foundation for extremely high stresses and thermodynamics, ideal for hypersonic platforms. This specific methodology and materials applications is many decades ahead of all known programs. Even to the extend of normalized space flight and re-entry, without concern of thermodynamic failure.

*Note, most entities that are experimenting with additive manufacturing for hypersonic aircraft, this makes it mainstream and standardized processes, which also applies for mass production.

What would normally be measured in years and perhaps a decade to go from drawing board to test flights, is reduced to singular months and ready for production within a year maximum.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle (U-TBCC)

To date, the closest that NASA and industry have achieved for turbine based aircraft to fly at hypersonic velocities is by mounting a turbine into an aircraft and sharing the inlet with a scramjet or rocket based motor. Reaction Engines Sabre is not able to achieve hypersonic velocities and can only transition into a non air breathing rocket for beyond Mach 4.5

However, utilizing Unified Turbine Based Combine Cycle also known as U-TBCC, the two separate platforms are able to share a common inlet and the dual mode ramjet/scramjet is contained within the engine itself, which allows for a much smaller airframe footprint, thus engingeers are able to then design much higher performance aerial platforms for hypersonic flight, including the ability for constructing true single stage to orbit aircraft by utilizing a modification/version that allows for transition to outside atmosphere propulsion without any other propulsion platforms within the aircraft. By transitioning and developing aircraft to use Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle, this propulsion system opens up new options to replace that airframe deficit for increased fuel capacity and/or payload.

Enhanced Dynamic Cavitation

Dramatically Increasing the efficiency of fuel air mixture for combustion processes at hypersonic velocities within scramjet propulsion platforms. The aspects of these processes are non disclosable.

Dynamic Scramjet Ignition Processes

For optimal scramjet ignition, a process known as Self Start is sought after, but in many cases if the platform becomes out of attitude, the scramjet will ignite. We have already solved this problem which as a result, a scramjet propulsion system can ignite at lower velocities, high velocities, at optimal attitude or not optimal attitude. It doesn't matter, it will ignite anyways at the proper point for maximum thrust capabilities at hypersonic velocities.

Hydrogen vs Kerosene Fuel Sources

Kerosene is an easy fuel to work with, and most western nations developing scramjet platforms use Kerosene for that fact. However, while kerosene has better thermal properties then Hydrogen, Hydrogen is a far superior fuel source in scramjet propulsion flight, do it having a much higher efficiency capability. Because of this aspect, in conjunction with our developments, it allows for a MUCH increased fuel to air mixture, combustion, thrust; and ability for higher speeds; instead of very low hypersonic velocities in the Mach 5-6 range. Instead, Mach 8-10 range, while we have begun developing hypersonic capabilities to exceed 15 in atmosphere within less then 5 years.

Conforming High Pressure Tank Technology for CNG and H2.

As most know in hypersonics, Hydrogen is a superior fuel source, but due to the storage abilities, can only be stored in cylinders thus much less fuel supply. Not anymore, we developed conforming high pressure storage technology for use in aerospace, automotive sectors, maritime, etc; which means any overall shape required for 8,000+ PSI CNG or Hydrogen. For hypersonic platforms, this means the ability to store a much larger volume of hydrogen vs cylinders.

As an example, X-43 flown by Nasa which flew at Mach 9.97. The fuel source was Hydrogen, which is extremely more volatile and combustible then kerosene (JP-7), via a cylinder in the main body. If it had used our technology, that entire section of the airframe would had been an 8,000 PSI H2 tank, which would had yielded 5-6 times the capacity. While the X-43 flew 11 seconds under power at Mach 9.97, at 6 times the fuel capacity would had yielded apx 66 seconds of fuel under power at Mach 9.97. If it had flew slower, around Mach 6, same principles applied would had yielded apx 500 seconds of fuel supply under power (slower speeds required less energy to maintain).

Enhanced Fuel Mixture During Shock Train Interaction

Normally, fuel injection is conducted at the correct insertion point within the shock train for maximum burn/combustion. Our methodologies differ, since almost half the fuel injection is conducted PRE shock train within the isolator, so at the point of isolator injection the fuel enhances the combustion process, which then requires less fuel injection to reach the same level of thrust capabilities.

Improved Bow Shock Interaction

Smoother interaction at hypersonic velocities and mitigating heat/stresses for beyond Mach 6 thermodynamics, which extraordinarily improves Type 3, 4, and 5 shock interaction.

6,000+ Fahrenheit Thermal Resistance

To date, the maximum thermal resistance was tested at AFRL in the spring of 2018, which resulted in a 3,200F thermal resistance for a short duration. This technology, allows for normalized hypersonic thermal resistance of 3,000-3,500F sustained, and up to 6,500F resistance for short endurance, ie 90 seconds or less. 10-20 minute resistance estimate approximately 4,500F +/- 200F.

*** This technology advancement also applies to Aerospike rocket engines, in which it is common for Aerospike's to exceed 4,500-5,000F temperatures, which results in the melting of the reversed bell housing. That melting no longer ocurrs, providing for stable combustion to ocurr for the entire flight envelope

Scramjet Propulsion Side Wall Cooling

With old technologies, side wall cooling is required for hypersonic flight and scramjet propulsion systems, otherwise the isolator and combustion regions of a scramjet would melt, even using advanced ablatives and ceramics, due to their inability to cope with very high temperatures. Using technology we have developed for very high thermodynamics and high stresses, side wall cooling is no longer required, thus removing that variable from the design process and focusing on improved ignition processes and increasing net thrust values.

Lower Threshold for Hypersonic Ignition

Active and adaptive flight dynamics, resulting in the ability for scramjet ignition at a much lower velocity, ie within ramjet envelope, between Mach 2-4, and seamless transition from supersonic to hypersonic flight, ie supersonic ramjet (scramjet). This active and dynamic aspect, has a wide variety of parameters for many flight dynamics, velocities, and altitudes; which means platforms no longer need to be engineered for specific altitude ranges or preset velocities, but those parameters can then be selected during launch configuration and are able to adapt actively in flight.

Dramatically Improved Maneuvering Capabilities at Hypersonic Velocities

Hypersonic vehicles, like their less technologically advanced brethren, use large actuator and the developers hope those controls surfaces do not disintegrate in flight. In reality, it is like rolling the dice, they may or may not survive, hence another reason why the attempt to keep velocities to Mach 6 or below. We have shrunken down control actuators while almost doubling torque and response capabilities specifically for hypersonic dynamics and extreme stresses involved, which makes it possible for maximum input authority for Mach 10 and beyond.

Paradigm Shift in Control Surface Methodologies, Increasing Control Authority (Internal Mechanical Applications)

To date, most control surfaces for hypersonic missile platforms still use fins, similar to lower speed conventional missiles, and some using ducted fins. This is mostly due to lack of comprehension of hypersonic velocities in their own favor. Instead, the body itself incorporates those control surfaces, greatly enhancing the airframe strength, opening up more space for hardware and fuel capacity; while simultaneously enhancing the platforms maneuvering capabilities.

A scramjet missile can then fly like conventional missile platforms, and not straight and level at high altitudes, losing velocity on it's decent trajectory to target. Another added benefit to this aspect, is the ability to extend range greatly, so if anyone elses hypersonic missile platform were developed for 400 mile range, falling out of the sky due to lack of glide capabilities; our platforms can easily reach 600+ miles, with minimal glide deceleration.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) hoists the Amazon Leo mission payload atop the Atlas V rocket in the Vertical Integration Facility adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Atlas V will launch the Leo 6 mission for Amazon's broadband satellite constellation. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

This image shows the recently upgraded air showers which blast high-velocity HEPA-filtered air onto people before they enter a clean room at NASA’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. The PHSF went through several upgrades ahead of the arrival of Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Roman will provide deep, panoramic views of the cosmos, generating never-before-seen pictures that will revolutionize our understanding of the universe. Roman will undergo several prelaunch operations, including thermal protection closeout, cleaning, solar array work, and loading hydrazine propellant. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA image use policy.

Astronaut John M. Grunsfeld, payload commander, peers into the crew cabin of the Space Shuttle Columbia during the first STS-109 extravehicular activity (EVA-1) on March 4, 2002. Grunsfeld's helmet visor displays a mirrored image of the Earth's hemisphere. Astronauts Grunsfeld and Richard M. Linnehan replaced the starboard solar array on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on the first of five scheduled STS-109 spacewalks. The image was recorded with a digital still camera by a crewmate on shuttle's aft flight deck.

Credit: NASA

She used to fly over my home weekly, and there was no missing the beautiful radial engines' sounds! Now her route is different; but she flew over twice in two days, giving me the opportunity to again savor that sweet sound!

"Catalina Flying Boats" DC-3 C-47 "radial engines" flyover flight flying aircraft aviation "prop shots" propeller-driven classic N403JB 1945 "McDonnel Douglas" Skytrain Transport "PW-1830 Engines" "7,500-lb payload" VC-47D

Wanted to show off my Black Box,Direct Hit and other stuff.

Yeah I've been playing a lot of TF2 recently.

PictionID:44809725 - Catalog:14_014289 - Title:Atlas Payload Component - Filename:14_014289.TIF - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum

✈️Aircraft: Boeing 747-400

💺Airline: Lufthansa

Photographer: Spotteryyz

📍Toronto, Canada

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

📚History: The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe. Its most distinguishing features versus preceding 747 models are 6-foot (1.8 m) winglets mounted on 6-foot (1.8 m) wing tip extensions, which are found on all 747-400s except for Japanese domestic market versions. The 747-400 is equipped with a two-crew glass cockpit, which dispenses with the need for a flight engineer, along with more fuel-efficient engines, an optional fuel tank in the horizontal stabilizer, and revised fuselage/wing fairings. The aircraft also features an all-new interior with upgraded in-flight entertainment architecture. As on the 747-300, passenger variants include a stretched upper deck as standard. The model has a maximum capacity of 660 passengers with the 747-400D variant, and can fly non-stop for up to 7,670 nautical miles (14,200 km) with maximum payload, depending on model. The original variant of the redesigned 747, the 747-400 debuted an increased wingspan, winglets, revised engines, and a glass cockpit which removed the need for a flight engineer. The type also featured the stretched upper deck (SUD) introduced with the 747-300. The passenger model formed the bulk of 747-400s sold, and 442 were built.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2020) -- A C-17 Globemaster III, attached to the Air Force 535th Airlift Squadron, delivers a payload to the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands. Underway replenishment sustains the fleet anywhere/anytime. This event was designed to test and evaluate the tactics, techniques, and procedures of U.S. Strategic Command's expeditionary logistics and enhance the overall readiness of our strategic forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Benjamin Aronson) 201023-F-DT029-0004

** Interested in following U.S. Indo-Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/indopacom | twitter.com/INDOPACOM |

www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians use a special mechanism to assist with late cargo installation in the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the protective covering was removed from Orbital ATK's CYGNUS pressurized cargo module on a KAMAG transporter. In the PHSF, Cygnus will be moved to a work stand for final propellant loading and late cargo stowage. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on March 19, 2017. CYGNUS will deliver thousands of pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA image use policy.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In the Astrotech payload processing facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive, or SMAP, spacecraft, secured inside a transportation canister, is lowered onto a transporter for its move to the launch pad.

SMAP will launch on a United Launch Alliance Delta II 7320 configuration vehicle featuring a United Launch Alliance first stage booster powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine and three Alliant Techsystems, or ATK, strap-on solid rocket motors. Once on station in Earth orbit, SMAP will provide global measurements of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state. These measurements will be used to enhance understanding of processes that link the water, energy and carbon cycles, and to extend the capabilities of weather and climate prediction models. SMAP data also will be used to quantify net carbon flux in boreal landscapes and to develop improved flood prediction and drought monitoring capabilities. Launch from Space Launch Complex 2 is targeted for Jan. 29. To learn more about SMAP, visit www.nasa.gov/smap. Photo credit: NASA/U.S. Air Force Photo Squadron

Covers the 1960 International Payloader Digger that was sold in Australia.

Magazine Advert.

Discovery SSTO V8.2 - Single Stage to Orbit Heavy Lift, Hypersonic Aircraft - 70 TON Payload - IO Aircraft

IO Aircraft: www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic/discovery-218.php

Discovery SSTO V8.2 Specs

Length: 218FT/ Span: 102.58FT / Palyload Bay: 60' L X 16' 7" W X 16' 7" H / Span: 70 Ton (140,000 LBS)

Engines: U-TBCC (Unified Turbined Based Combined Cycle) Inc/Zero Atmosphere

Inlets: Adaptive REST, Originally Hapb/Larc NASA

Fuel: 140,000 Gallons 12,000+ PSI H2 / 90,000 Gallons 12,000+ PSI O2

Fuel Weight: Apx 72,000 LBS Total / *If liquid, would be 1.4 Million LBS

Weight: Apx 250,000 LBS EOW/Dry Weight / Apx 510,000 T/O Weight, Max Payload

Airframe: 75+% Proprietary Advanced Composites, 400,000 PSI Tensile Strength Airframe / *NO Ceramic Tiles

Thermals: 6,000F Thermal Resistance

Estimated Cost: $1.2 Billion Each (Fly Away Price) or $900 million in batches of 5

Estimated Launch Cost: Apx $30 Million at 140,000 LBS, Including Maintenance Costs / Under $250 per pound at Maximum Paylaod Wieght *Could Drop to Below $50 per LBS

-----------------------------

single stage to orbit, ssto, space plane, falcon heavy, delta iv, hypersonic commercial aircraft, hypersonic commercial plane, hypersonic aircraft, hypersonic plane, ICAO, International Civil Aviation Orginization, hypersonic airline, tbcc, glide breaker, fighter plane, hyperonic fighter, boeing phantom express, phantom works, boeing phantom works, lockheed skunk works, hypersonic weapon, hypersonic missile, scramjet engineering, scramjet physics, boost glide, tactical glide vehicle, scramjet, turbine based combined cycle, ramjet, dual mode ramjet, darpa, onr, navair, afrl, air force research lab, office of naval research, defense advanced research project agency, defense science, missile defense agency, aerospike, hydrogen fueled, hydrogen aircraft, virgin airlines, united airlines, sas, finnair ,emirates airlines, ANA, JAL, airlines, military, physics, airline, british airways, air france, aerion supersonic, aerion, spike aerospace, boom supersonic,

-----------------------------

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle. Current technologies and what Lockheed is trying to force on the Dept of Defense, for that low speed Mach 5 plane DOD gave them $1 billion to build and would disintegrate above Mach 5, is TBCC. 2 separate propulsion systems in the same airframe, which requires TWICE the airframe space to use.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle is 1 propulsion system cutting that airframe deficit in half, and also able to operate above Mach 10 up to Mach 15 in atmosphere, and a simple nozzle modification allows for outside atmosphere rocket mode, ie orbital capable.

Additionally, Reaction Engines maximum air breather mode is Mach 4.5, above that it will explode in flight from internal pressures are too high to operate. Thus, must switch to non air breather rocket mode to operate in atmosphere in hypersonic velocities. Which as a result, makes it not feasible for anything practical. It also takes an immense amount of fuel to function.

PictionID:55777496 - Catalog:GD/Astronautics Details: IMSS Rendezvous Simulator and Flat Map Facility Date: 02/18/1966 - Title:Array - Filename:14_037841.tif - ---- Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare several Nanoracks for installation on the exterior of the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than March 21, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

NASA image use policy.

The payload fairing containing NOAA's GOES-T satellite is lifted up by crane at the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The fairing-encapsulated GOES-T spacecraft was mated with the launch vehicle on Feb. 17, 2022.

GOES-T is slated to Launch on March. 1, 2022.

Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians begin the process to install several Nanoracks on the exterior of the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than March 21, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

NASA image use policy.

PictionID:44808651 - Catalog:14_014201 - Title:Atlas Payload Component - Filename:14_014201.TIF - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum

PictionID:53758155 - Catalog:14_031668 - Title:Atlas Centaur 6 Details: Surveyor SD-2 Mating to AC-6 at Cape Date: 08/02/1965 - Filename:14_031668.tif - Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum

Discovery SSTO V8.2 - Single Stage to Orbit Heavy Lift, Hypersonic Aircraft - 70 TON Payload - IO Aircraft

IO Aircraft: www.ioaircraft.com/hypersonic/discovery-218.php

Discovery SSTO V8.2 Specs

Length: 218FT/ Span: 102.58FT / Palyload Bay: 60' L X 16' 7" W X 16' 7" H / Span: 70 Ton (140,000 LBS)

Engines: U-TBCC (Unified Turbined Based Combined Cycle) Inc/Zero Atmosphere

Inlets: Adaptive REST, Originally Hapb/Larc NASA

Fuel: 140,000 Gallons 12,000+ PSI H2 / 90,000 Gallons 12,000+ PSI O2

Fuel Weight: Apx 72,000 LBS Total / *If liquid, would be 1.4 Million LBS

Weight: Apx 250,000 LBS EOW/Dry Weight / Apx 510,000 T/O Weight, Max Payload

Airframe: 75+% Proprietary Advanced Composites, 400,000 PSI Tensile Strength Airframe / *NO Ceramic Tiles

Thermals: 6,000F Thermal Resistance

Estimated Cost: $1.2 Billion Each (Fly Away Price) or $900 million in batches of 5

Estimated Launch Cost: Apx $30 Million at 140,000 LBS, Including Maintenance Costs / Under $250 per pound at Maximum Paylaod Wieght *Could Drop to Below $50 per LBS

-----------------------------

single stage to orbit, ssto, space plane, falcon heavy, delta iv, hypersonic commercial aircraft, hypersonic commercial plane, hypersonic aircraft, hypersonic plane, ICAO, International Civil Aviation Orginization, hypersonic airline, tbcc, glide breaker, fighter plane, hyperonic fighter, boeing phantom express, phantom works, boeing phantom works, lockheed skunk works, hypersonic weapon, hypersonic missile, scramjet engineering, scramjet physics, boost glide, tactical glide vehicle, scramjet, turbine based combined cycle, ramjet, dual mode ramjet, darpa, onr, navair, afrl, air force research lab, office of naval research, defense advanced research project agency, defense science, missile defense agency, aerospike, hydrogen fueled, hydrogen aircraft, virgin airlines, united airlines, sas, finnair ,emirates airlines, ANA, JAL, airlines, military, physics, airline, british airways, air france, aerion supersonic, aerion, spike aerospace, boom supersonic,

-----------------------------

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle. Current technologies and what Lockheed is trying to force on the Dept of Defense, for that low speed Mach 5 plane DOD gave them $1 billion to build and would disintegrate above Mach 5, is TBCC. 2 separate propulsion systems in the same airframe, which requires TWICE the airframe space to use.

Unified Turbine Based Combined Cycle is 1 propulsion system cutting that airframe deficit in half, and also able to operate above Mach 10 up to Mach 15 in atmosphere, and a simple nozzle modification allows for outside atmosphere rocket mode, ie orbital capable.

Additionally, Reaction Engines maximum air breather mode is Mach 4.5, above that it will explode in flight from internal pressures are too high to operate. Thus, must switch to non air breather rocket mode to operate in atmosphere in hypersonic velocities. Which as a result, makes it not feasible for anything practical. It also takes an immense amount of fuel to function.

The Payload and Service Modules of the satellite were loaded onto the second Antonov transport plane in Toulouse, bound for Moscow and then Baikonour Cosmodrome.

To read more about the Metop-B satellite launch, please click here.

Copyright 2012 EUMETSAT.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have opened the hatch on the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module to prepare for late stowage of supplies and hardware. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station targeted for March 24, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

NASA image use policy.

Enclosed in its payload fairing, NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-M) arrives at the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. TDRS-M will be stacked atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V Centaur upper stage. It will be the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories. Liftoff atop the ULA Atlas V rocket is scheduled to take place from Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 41 on Aug. 18, 2017.

Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA image use policy.

KSC payload processing team members in the Vertical Processing Facility prepare to close the doors of a payload canister after installation of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-G (TDRS-G) and its Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) in the container. The NASA communications satellite is the primary payload for the STS-70 mission. After closeout, the TDRS-G and its booster will be carried out to Launch Pad 39B atop the canister transporter vehicle. Hoses running from the vehicle to the canister will provide an environmentally-controlled atmosphere for the payload during the move. Once at the pad, the canister will be hoisted to the Payload Changeout Room in the Rotating Service Structure and transferred into the payload bay of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery.

Image from NASA, originally appeared on this site: science.ksc.nasa.gov/gallery/photos/

Reposted by San Diego Air and Space Museum

The Payload and Service Modules of the satellite were loaded onto the second Antonov transport plane in Toulouse, bound for Moscow and then Baikonour Cosmodrome.

To read more about the Metop-B satellite launch, please click here.

Copyright 2012 EUMETSAT.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are underway to install the Nanoracks on the exterior of the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than March 21, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

NASA image use policy.

Henry Martin, left, external payloads coordinator with NanoRacks, and Davide Massuti, QB50 CubeSats at Von Karman Institute, talk to NASA Social participants during a science briefing at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The briefing was for Orbital ATK's commercial resupply services mission, CRS-7, to the International Space Station. Orbital ATK's Cygnus pressurized cargo module is set to launch on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on April 18. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:11 a.m. EDT. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA image use policy.

Inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician adjusts the thermal blankets around the area where several Nanoracks will be installed on the exterior of the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module. The Orbital ATK CRS-7 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station no earlier than March 21, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

NASA image use policy.

Arriving by hybrid sailship Canopée, Europe will soon be taking another leap forward in its weather forecasting capacity as the first MetOp Second Generation, MetOp-SG-A1, satellite is now at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, marking a pivotal moment on the road to launch. This new polar-orbiting weather satellite also carries the Copernicus Sentinel-5 instrument to deliver daily global data on air pollutants and other atmospheric trace gases.

The two payloads will head to space on Europe's Ariane 6 rocket, flight VA264. The rocket and payloads were manufactured in mainland Europe and transported by the novel ship Canopée (canopy in French). The ship is the first custom-built transporter to use sails, reducing emissions and saving on fuel by up to 30%.

Credits: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–S. Martin