X-24B

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X-24B

X-24B -

Credit: NASA. 12,800 bytes. 416 x 215 pixels.

Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Nation: USA. Manufacturer: Martin.

The X-24B was used by the US Air Force to explore the supersonic and subsonic handling characteriestics of the FDL-7 and FDL-8 hypersonic configurations which promised to double the hypersonic L/D ratio of the original X-24A. It was air dropped from the NB-52 carrier aircraft and reached Mach 1.76 and 22,400 m altitude during its test program. By the time the test series had started the USAF had been forced to accept the NASA space shuttle for its future manned space ambitions and had dropped plans for a Titan-launched manned spaceplane. The configuration was also applicable to air-breathing hypersonic aircraft. NASA and USAF proposed an X-24C, which would have been two new-build vehicles. These would have the XLR-99 engine from the X-15 and take the configuration out to Mach 8 and conducted scramjet tests in 200 flights. This follow-on project was cancelled for lack of funds (or replaced by a black project with Lockheed).

Specification

Total Length: 11.4 m. Maximum Diameter: 5.8 m. Total Mass: 6,258 kg. Total Propellants: 2,480 kg. Primary Engine Thrust: 4,444 kgf. Main Engine Propellants: LOX/Alcohol. Main Engine Isp: 225 sec. Total spacecraft delta v: 1,300 m/s. Electrical System: Batteries.

Module: Air Vehicle. Purpose: Manned space plane. Propellants: 2480 L/D Hypersonic: 2.95. Maneuver System Thrust: 4,444 kgf. Backup Maneuver System Thrust: 454 kgf. Maneuver System Propellants: LOX/Alcohol. Maneuver System Isp: 225 sec. Maneuver system delta v: 1,300 m/s. Electric system type: Batteries. Battery: 194.0 Ah.

X-24B Chronology

01 August 1973 X-24 Flight 29 Flight Crew: Manke.

X-24B

Credit: © Mark Wade. 3,744 bytes. 420 x 342 pixels.

First glide flight. Maximum Speed - 740 kph. Maximum Altitude - 12190 m. Flight Time - 252 sec.

17 August 1973 X-24 Flight 30 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 722 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 267 sec.

31 August 1973 X-24 Flight 31 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 771 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 277 sec.

18 September 1973 X-24 Flight 32 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 271 sec.

04 October 1973 X-24 Flight 33 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 732 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 279 sec.

15 November 1973 X-24 Flight 34 Flight Crew: Manke.

First power flight. Maximum Speed - 961 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16080 m. Flight Time - 404 sec.

12 December 1973 X-24 Flight 35 Flight Crew: Manke.

Lifting Bodies - Lifting Bodies Comparative

Credit: © Mark Wade. 3,968 bytes. 620 x 171 pixels.

Maximum Speed - 1038 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19080 m. Flight Time - 434 sec.

15 February 1974 X-24 Flight 36 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 307 sec.

05 March 1974 X-24 Flight 37 Flight Crew: Manke.

First supersonic flight. Maximum Speed - 1139 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18390 m. Flight Time - 437 sec.

30 April 1974 X-24 Flight 38 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 930 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15860 m. Flight Time - 419 sec.

24 May 1974 X-24 Flight 39 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1212 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17060 m. Flight Time - 448 sec.

14 June 1974 X-24 Flight 40 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1303 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19970 m. Flight Time - 405 sec.

28 June 1974 X-24 Flight 41 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1480 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20770 m. Flight Time - 427 sec.

Lifting Bodies - Lifting Body comparison

Credit: © Mark Wade. 1,249 bytes. 620 x 39 pixels.

08 August 1974 X-24 Flight 42 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1644 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22370 m. Flight Time - 395 sec.

29 August 1974 X-24 Flight 43 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1170 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22080 m. Flight Time - 467 sec.

25 October 1974 X-24 Flight 44 Flight Crew: Love.

Max. speed flight. Maximum Speed - 1873 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21990 m. Flight Time - 417 sec.

15 November 1974 X-24 Flight 45 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1722 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21960 m. Flight Time - 481 sec.

17 December 1974 X-24 Flight 46 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1667 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20960 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.

14 January 1975 X-24 Flight 47 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1862 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22180 m. Flight Time - 477 sec.

20 March 1975 X-24 Flight 48 Flight Crew: Love.

FDL Spaceplane

Credit: USAF. 8,956 bytes. 170 x 273 pixels.

Maximum Speed - 1537 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21450 m. Flight Time - 409 sec.

18 April 1975 X-24 Flight 49 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1279 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17650 m. Flight Time - 450 sec.

06 May 1975 X-24 Flight 50 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1541 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22370 m. Flight Time - 448 sec.

22 May 1975 X-24 Flight 51 Flight Crew: Manke.

Max. altitude. Maximum Speed - 1744 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22370 m. Flight Time - 461 sec.

06 June 1975 X-24 Flight 52 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1786 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21980 m. Flight Time - 474 sec.

25 June 1975 X-24 Flight 53 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1427 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17680 m. Flight Time - 426 sec.

15 July 1975 X-24 Flight 54 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1685 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21180 m. Flight Time - 415 sec.

05 August 1975 X-24 Flight 55 Flight Crew: Manke.

Maximum Speed - 1381 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18290 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.

20 August 1975 X-24 Flight 56 Flight Crew: Love.

Maximum Speed - 1625 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21950 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.

09 September 1975 X-24 Flight 57 Flight Crew: Dana.

Maximum Speed - 1593 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21640 m. Flight Time - 435 sec.

23 September 1975 X-24 Flight 58 Flight Crew: Dana.

Last rocket-powered flight. Maximum Speed - 1255 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17680 m. Flight Time - 438 sec.

09 October 1975 X-24 Flight 59 Flight Crew: Enevoldson.

Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 251 sec.

21 October 1975 X-24 Flight 60 Flight Crew: Scobee.

Maximum Speed - 743 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 255 sec.

03 November 1975 X-24 Flight 61 Flight Crew: McMurtry.

Maximum Speed - 734 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 248 sec.

12 November 1975 X-24 Flight 62 Flight Crew: Enevoldson.

Maximum Speed - 734 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 241 sec.

19 November 1975 X-24 Flight 63 Flight Crew: Scobee.

Maximum Speed - 740 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 249 sec.

26 November 1975 X-24 Flight 64 Flight Crew: McMurtry.

Maximum Speed - 740 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 245 sec.

Bibliography:

48 - Miller, Jay,, The X-Planes, Aerofax, Arlington, Texas, 1988.
152 - Houchin II, Roy and Smith, Terry, Quest, "X-20 (7 articles)", 1994, Volume 3, Issue 4, page 4.
158 - Peebles, Curtis, Spaceflight, "The Origins of the US Space Shuttle - 1", 1979, Volume 21, page 435.

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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© Mark Wade, 2001 .