Engineering:Boeing X-40
| X-40 | |
|---|---|
 Boeing X-40A on a descent glide slope | |
| General information | |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Phantom Works |
| Management and usage | Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | August 11, 1998 (dropped by UH-60 Black Hawk)[1][2][3] |
The Boeing X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle is a test platform for the Boeing X-37 reusable spaceplane, built by Boeing Phantom Works. It sought to test the X-37's systems in order to "reduce the cost and risk of future reusable space launch vehicle system".[4]
History
The uncrewed X-40A was an 80%-90% subscale version of the Boeing X-37 reusable spaceplane, but lacking in propulsion or thermal protection systems. Boeing built the X-40A originally for the Air Force as part of that service’s Space Maneuver Vehicle program.[4][2]
The aircraft was built at Boeing Phantom Works at Seal Beach, California, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory.[2]
Testing
The first X-40A drop test occurred at Holloman AFB, New Mexico on August 11, 1998 at 06:59. It was released from an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet (3,000 m)[2] and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) away from the end of Runway 04 by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter[1] (later tests used an Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter).[4][3] The vehicle dove to the runway in an approach similar to the Space Shuttle's, flared, and landed left of the runway centerline. Its drag chutes successfully deployed, and the vehicle tracked to within 7 feet (2.1 m) of the centerline and stopped at a distance of slightly more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m).
The X-40A flew seven approach and landing test flights at NASA’s Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in 2001 to reduce risk for the X-37 program, including in-flight evaluation of guidance, navigation and control software for its autonomous flight controls.[4] One test flight the craft was towed by an Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter to an altitude of 15,000 feet, and then released to fly an autonomously controlled 75-second descent to a landing on the main runway at Edwards Air Force Base, where it then glided and guided itself.[4]
Specifications (X-40A)
Data from Boeing X-40A - National Museum of the United States Air Force
General characteristics
- Length: 22 ft (6.7 m)
- Wingspan: 12 ft (3.7 m)
- Empty weight: 2,600 lb (1,179 kg)
Performance
See also
Related development
Related lists
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Military Spaceplane X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle Integrated Tech Testbed". Federation of American Scientists. http://fas.org/spp/military/program/launch/msp.htm.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Boeing X-40A" (in en-US). https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195752/boeing-x-40a/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Boeing X-37 / X-40 page at Designation-Systems.Net
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Gelzer, Christian (2 March 2016). "X-40A Space Maneuvering Vehicle" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/aircraft/x-40/.
External links
- NASA Dryden X-40A Image Gallery
- X-40A Test Flight, Boeing press release
- X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle Integrated Tech Testbed at FAS.org
- Boeing X-37 / X-40 page at Designation-Systems.Net
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