USAF - NASA agrement in manned spaceflight, 1974

[Archibald]

MOL is not cancelled and enter service along NASA Skylab. Each has its own manned spacecraft, let's say DynaSoar and Apollo.
In the end US governement find that having two space programs is rather expensive and decide to force an agrement between the two organizations.

NASA keep outer-space missions (moon and beyond) LEO and space stations.

USAF give up manned orbital flight in favor of suborbital spaceplanes.

Why such agrement ?

USAF had no interest in space stations or manned orbital vessels because spy satellites now do the job better.

On the other hand suborbital spaceplanes (let's say mach 20 and 100 miles ceiling) can do a lot of missions such as ASAT, ABM, recon over USSR, high-speed strike, and even satellite launcher if you add an upper stage.

In brief : manned spaceplanes for USAF, capsules for NASA.

Discuss...

 

[Michel Van]

this idea is possble

OTL In 1970 USAF and NASA was talking about Join Venture called Space Shuttle
but in a TL were Nixon not take the Space Shuttle option but instatt take Big Gemini Option in 1969.
this talk go another way
and USAF and NASA get agrement MOL goes to NASA (with out Spysat Tech on board)

NASA build Big Gemini, use MOL and chanceld Skylab for Apollo 18-20 in 1973-74)

but wat for USAF ?
back to onmanned Spysat.
and wat for Suborbital Space Plane ?

Martin Marietta SV-5J (aka X-24 A)
last one made alrady drop flight and Model made one Orbital flight as X-23A (SV-5D) Prime.
and Favior of USAF until Space Shuttle came

wat mission ?
Suborbital reconnaissance, bombing, shoot down Enermy Spysat.

 

[Archibald]

Hmm seems we share lots of ideas, thanks to the Astronautix karma

I had forgotten the X-24. That's one is cool, too!

I agree that Dynasoar replacement (around the mid-70's ?) can take LOTs of differents shapes.

It depends if DynaSoar flew orbital or suborbital missions in the late 60's, among others parameters...

My plan to save it against McNamara assaults was to keep the Titan II and suborbital flight profile, in brief to stay with the 1959-1961 variant.

As a consequence in my humble ATL, USAF replace DynaSoar by something like the Black Colt suborbital spaceplane.
I mean, 2*jet-engines+ 1*rocket motor + in flight refueling
eventually an upper stage, if not, the machine carry a suborbital mission.

I know the concept emerged only in the early 90's, but flight refueling was already practised in 1974.