Encyclopedia
Astronautica
EA Home
Chronology
Programs
Spacecraft
  by Type
Astronauts
  by Group
Flights
Rockets
  by Family
Stages
  by Fuel
Engines
  by Fuel
Sites
Graphics
Articles
References
Statistics
New
Soviet
China
Military
Women
FAQ
Links
0-9
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
x20big.gif
X-20 3 View
x20orbit.jpg
X-20 Dynasoar

X-20 Dynasoar in orbit
x20sun.jpg
X-20 Dynasoar

X-20 Dynasoar at sunrise
dyrentr.jpg
X-20 Dynasoar

X-20 Dynasoar in reentry configuration
dyckpit.jpg
X-20 cockpit

View of the X-20 cockpit. In addition to single crew member, payload bay behind cockpit could have accepted additional crew member or 450 kg military/scientific payload.
Dynasoar

dynab52.jpg
B-52 overflies X-20

Program: Dynasoar. Objective: Manned. Type: Spaceplane.

American Spaceplanes The X-20 Dynasoar (Dynamic Soaring) was a single-pilot manned spaceplane, really the earliest American manned space project to result in fabrication of hardware. It evolved from the German Sanger-Bredt Silverbird intercontinental skip-glide rocket bomber. Dornberger, former head of Peendmuende, was at Bell Aircraft in the 1950's and developed the Sanger-Bredt concept through various iterations (BOMI and HYFLEX?). In typical Pentagon fashion the final development contract went instead to Boeing. It went through many confusing incarnations and changes in purpose (manned space bomber, reconnaisance platform, high speed test vehicle), with the launch vehicles at various times including Titan I, Titan II, Saturn I, and finally Titan IIIC. Cancellation on December 10 1963 came only eight months from drop tests from a B-52 and a first manned flight in 1964. The Dynasoar itself would have been developed into Dynasoar II, III, and Dyna-MOWS (Manned Orbital Weapons System) versions which would have run the gamut of orbital supply, rendezvous and inspection, and orbital bombing. If things had ever taken this course, the Dynasoar itself, which had severely limited internal payload and volume aside from the single pilot, would probably have been substantially redesigned or replaced by a lifting body design for later phases. After its cancellation, the Air Force pursued futher development of manned spaceplanes through the PRIME, ASSET, X-23, and X-24 programs, with suborbital launch of subscale lifting body designs and B-52 drop tests of the X-24A and X-24B lifting body designs into the mid-1970's. Reportedly there was also a black program leading to suborbital flight and reentry of a full-size unmanned lifting body patterned after the NASA HL-10. In the end, the Air Force was pressured by the Nixon Administration to accept participation in the space shuttle program in lieu of separate development of their own designs. Major Events: .


Back to Index
Last update 11 January 1999.
Contact Mark Wade with any corrections, additions, or comments.

© Mark Wade, 1999 .