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Lockheed X-27 (1)
...Back in '72 the X-27 was rumoured to be Lockheed CL-1200, a much uprated F-104 Starfighter. Johnson wanted to build a pair of experimental aircrafts (hence the X-plane) and then sell its machine as a lightweight fighter to complement the F-15.
But the next year, in 1973 Lockheed dropped the scheme and the CL-1200, to concentrate on their Agena space tug bid. Thus the X-27 slot was not attributed to this project.
(the X-27 that never was)
Instead the X-27 moniker was given to the Subscale Shuttle Program (SSP). It was an atempt at salvaging something valuable out of the Space Shuttle fiasco. Over the last five years the X-27 program proceded as follow.
First was the X-27A - Vehicle 101 flown in 1974 as an unpowered glider. It was first dropped from an helicopter and later on by NASA NB-52A.
X-27B are piloted vehicles 102 and 103. They are powered by the plain old XLR-11 rocket engine that reach as far back as the Bell X-1 of 1946. The XLR-11 also powered all three lifting bodies, and was used for early flights of the X-15. The piloted X-27Bs are 9 meter long with a span of 6 meters and a weight of 20 000 pounds. Top speed is around mach 2. Much like the X-planes that preceded them the subscale shuttles are air dropped from NASA NB-52B aircraft. In '73 a battle raged about the vehicle wing shape. Maxime Faget wanted a straight wing with a classic tail. The delta-wing however had strong supporters. A compromise was found with short, medium-mounted delta wing complete with a V-tail.
The following X-27C and X-27D didn't go anywhere. An hypersonic variant proposed in 1975-76, the piloted X-27C with the XLR-99 might be build at a later date, but its future remain very uncertain.
The unpiloted, unpowered X-27D might be send into suborbital flight test, probably by a Titan II.
A logical follow-on to the X-27D as proponed by North American Rockwell is the X-27E - a space station rescue vehicle and a more sophisticated alternative to their own Apollo capsule. Rockwell touts horizontal landings and glided reentry as major advantages in the case of bringing back a badly hurt astronaut.
According to Harrison Storms "With wings you can ride the atmosphere instead of brutally sinking through it. G-forces are accordingly much lower, a mere 1.5 G, so low that an astronaut might stand on his feet during reentry.
Finally, the X-27F is an orbital, operational, military variant of the X-27D – still unmanned, and launched by an augmented Titan II into orbit for weeks at a time. Despite the Air Force best efforts, it has not been funded yet. President Carter is dead set against any militarization of space, and thus doesn't want the X-27F to ever fly. At the end of the day only three X-27s have flown so far, the single X-27A glider and the piloted, powered X-27Bs.
But the next year, in 1973 Lockheed dropped the scheme and the CL-1200, to concentrate on their Agena space tug bid. Thus the X-27 slot was not attributed to this project.
(the X-27 that never was)
Instead the X-27 moniker was given to the Subscale Shuttle Program (SSP). It was an atempt at salvaging something valuable out of the Space Shuttle fiasco. Over the last five years the X-27 program proceded as follow.
First was the X-27A - Vehicle 101 flown in 1974 as an unpowered glider. It was first dropped from an helicopter and later on by NASA NB-52A.
X-27B are piloted vehicles 102 and 103. They are powered by the plain old XLR-11 rocket engine that reach as far back as the Bell X-1 of 1946. The XLR-11 also powered all three lifting bodies, and was used for early flights of the X-15. The piloted X-27Bs are 9 meter long with a span of 6 meters and a weight of 20 000 pounds. Top speed is around mach 2. Much like the X-planes that preceded them the subscale shuttles are air dropped from NASA NB-52B aircraft. In '73 a battle raged about the vehicle wing shape. Maxime Faget wanted a straight wing with a classic tail. The delta-wing however had strong supporters. A compromise was found with short, medium-mounted delta wing complete with a V-tail.
The following X-27C and X-27D didn't go anywhere. An hypersonic variant proposed in 1975-76, the piloted X-27C with the XLR-99 might be build at a later date, but its future remain very uncertain.
The unpiloted, unpowered X-27D might be send into suborbital flight test, probably by a Titan II.
A logical follow-on to the X-27D as proponed by North American Rockwell is the X-27E - a space station rescue vehicle and a more sophisticated alternative to their own Apollo capsule. Rockwell touts horizontal landings and glided reentry as major advantages in the case of bringing back a badly hurt astronaut.
According to Harrison Storms "With wings you can ride the atmosphere instead of brutally sinking through it. G-forces are accordingly much lower, a mere 1.5 G, so low that an astronaut might stand on his feet during reentry.
Finally, the X-27F is an orbital, operational, military variant of the X-27D – still unmanned, and launched by an augmented Titan II into orbit for weeks at a time. Despite the Air Force best efforts, it has not been funded yet. President Carter is dead set against any militarization of space, and thus doesn't want the X-27F to ever fly. At the end of the day only three X-27s have flown so far, the single X-27A glider and the piloted, powered X-27Bs.
- Archibald
- Word Count: 530