More wood butchery ' X-37

[sandman]

Basic shape looks right to me. This one is about 7" long

Anybody know where I can find dimension drawings?

Also does anybody know where I can find pics of the launch configuration of the Atlas V with this thing on top?

It sure is getting harder to be inspired with new spacecraft.

 

[SMR]

you might get some info from these guys...


https://www.anigrand.com/AA5008_RLV.htm


they make a very fine series of wooden models.

 

[MaxQ]

Basic shape looks right to me. This one is about 7" long

Anybody know where I can find dimension drawings?

Also does anybody know where I can find pics of the launch configuration of the Atlas V with this thing on top?

It sure is getting harder to be inspired with new spacecraft.

Well, you beat me to it Gordo. Looks pretty good.

I have one "in progress" on my work table right now.......I exagerated the wings - made them larger to lighten the wing loading.

I got all the photos I could find and then took the 29 foot length and 15 foot wingspan and proportioned a 1/10 scale version.

I rolled a 3" diam. body tube, foam cored some centering rings and foam blocked a nose, and set it up to eject a 24mm internal pod with nose weight and try this out as a boost glider.
18 inches long...with a much wider wingspan than the scaling would indicate.
I have to shape the nose and put the vertical V tail stabs on...hope to do some hand tosses off a slope and see what happens....

This is as close as I got to finding a "vertical alignment" shot...adapter but - no booster shown (you've probably seen this)

From what I read...this thing is going to be launched on the Atlas under a shroud, so maybe it won't matter....I know there was a picture..(artists rendering only) of that shroud covered launch configuration.....

As far as dimensions...here is a link to a 1/72 kit for reference...maybe it is correct, I can't tell:
https://www.fantastic-plastic.com/X-37BCatalogPage.htm

There was a guy in the ARC Forums making a very detailed 1/48th scale model in resin...at one time he had a picture of the model with a scale laying right beside it...that picture is now gone (.....wonder why) ...you'd think this really is a top secret project.

If you have the dimensions of The White Knight...then one could approximate the X37B...

 

[MaxQ]

.. the USAF "Fact Sheet" didn't have much...I noted the dimensions were not what I read elswhere...but may be more accurate.
https://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av012/x37factsheet.pdf

Shrouded in secrecy........

Rocket: Atlas 5
Payload: X-37B - Orbital Test Vehicle
Date: April 19, 2010
Window: 6:49-9:12 p.m. EDT
Site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral, Florida

 

[powderburner]

Anybody know where I can find dimension drawings?

I have been doing some preliminary digging for the past few months and I haven't found a thing in the way of a decent, scale-looking three view. Absolutely nothing in the way of cross-sections.

I am beginning to wonder if that information is somehow classified. (Hey, I've seen stranger things happen.)

 

[sandman]

"Top Secret" seems to be taking all the fun out of it!

I see I am off on a few dimensions but I can change that.

 

[Micromeister]

Still lookin pretty darn good Sandman. Been carving on a much smaller block that looks a little like that myself. LOL!!!

Only reference stuff I have are the nasa concept dwgs and mostly the same pics already posted.

 

[sandman]

Still lookin pretty darn good Sandman. Been carving on a much smaller block that looks a little like that myself. LOL!!!

Only reference stuff I have are the nasa concept dwgs and mostly the same pics already posted.

Those last pics from Max Q (THANKS!) are perfect. I can do better now.

I'll work on it this weekend.

 

[MaxQ]

Hopefully we'll all get a better look at this thing very soon, (like April 19th maybe?) unless they clamp down on press coverage.

You'd think there was some nefarious purpose to this thing, liked raining "rods from the Gods" on an Iranian nuclear reactor or something.....

 

[wilsotr]

So I asked, and folks are looking through old files. Don't hold your breath though. Dimensioned drawings of flight hardware are hard to come by ... it's not security, per se, but ITAR rules that make it difficult. You wouldn't believe what I went through to get MLAS drawings released - and some of them were mine.

 

[MaxQ]

So I asked, and folks are looking through old files. Don't hold your breath though. Dimensioned drawings of flight hardware are hard to come by ... it's not security, per se, but ITAR rules that make it difficult. You wouldn't believe what I went through to get MLAS drawings released - and some of them were mine.

Ha...welll, thanks for looking.
I figured you'd be posting on this one.

Anyway I can get on Wallops again?...I got the tour of the manufacturing and testing facility when MDRA sponsored a booth at the open house years ago...it was groovy!

 

[powderburner]

... it's not security, per se, but ITAR rules that make it difficult...

While you may be correct (some nervous bureaucrat may have played the ITARS card), I find it curious that those restrictions would apply to a "research" vehicle (if this really is an X-plane, and not a prototype of something designed for a mission...)

I can see slapping ITARS rules onto a bomb, or a gun, or a tank, or an F-16. I am not so sure ITARS should be applied to an X-plane, unless this design is really about something else. Like I said previously, I have seen stranger things happen.

 

[wilsotr]

I am not so sure ITARS should be applied to an X-plane, unless this design is really about something else. Like I said previously, I have seen stranger things happen.

Unfortunately the rules apply, research vehicle or not. Ref S121.1 of the ITAR regulations at this link ...

https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/itar_official.html

... space launch vehicles and related hardware are lumped in "Category IV" of that section, and all related technical data is controlled. It's possible to gain an exception to the rules under certain circumstances, but it's not a trivial process.

 

[wilsotr]

Anyway I can get on Wallops again

I wish you had asked me that last summer.

 

[ONAWHIM]

Sandman,

I find this thread interesting.
The X-37 atop a booster to place it into orbit reminds me of the 1969 movie "Marooned".
You can look it up on the IMDB.

Basically there was a need to rescue 3 astronauts returning from a low earth orbit space station.

Malfunction, depletion of oxygen.

Chief astronaut is to fly an experimental craft stuffed atop a Titan (?).

Hurricane is moving on Cape, rescue window short.
Srcub launch due to winds.

Oh look, eye of the hurricane passes directly over the pad.

Launch.



The release of this movie coincided with the Apollo 13 events.

I would think that a scale X-37/booster combo would make a great kit.



Wm.


(now back to our regular programming....)



.

 

[MaxQ]

Sandman,

I find this thread interesting.
The X-37 atop a booster to place it into orbit reminds me of the 1969 movie "Marooned".
You can look it up on the IMDB.
Basically there was a need to rescue 3 astronauts returning from a low earth orbit space station.
Malfunction, depletion of oxygen.
Chief astronaut is to fly an experimental craft stuffed atop a Titan (?).
Hurricane is moving on Cape, rescue window short.
Srcub launch due to winds.
Oh look, eye of the hurricane passes directly over the pad.
Launch.The release of this movie coincided with the Apollo 13 events.
I would think that a scale X-37/booster combo would make a great kit.Wm.
(now back to our regular programming....
.

Yep...I remember the movie.
Looked vaquely like an X-24A lifting body...I didn't know even then how four guys were going to fit inside it..(that was supposed to be launched on a Titan III C like the Dynasoar program but the actual film footage was of some other Titan.....
Great cast in the movie.

 

[MaxQ]

Here's a shot of my effort...
I won't hijack Sandman's thread here, I may even post a build thread for this thing if it goes anywhere (and doesn't crash and burn).

This thing weighs next to nothing....carved foam nose - still needs more tapering and shaping, the fuselage is rolled paper, foam core CRs, the full size has squared box like sides on the bottom so I had to account for that with balsa stringers and foam core strips, which will taper to the sides, ...wing is built up balsa - obviously upsized (I'm just guessing on the airfoil, did kind of a Clark Y with philips entry) and I will be building up the aft end to insert moveable vertical fins and hopefully that will pull the CP back to the rear.

If I can get a good flight on the up part and a decent glide test....I'll draw up plans for a larger 36 inch long version...

 

[rokitflite]

Here's a shot of my effort...
I won't hijack Sandman's thread here, I may even post a build thread for this thing if it goes anywhere (and doesn't crash and burn).

This thing weighs next to nothing....carved foam nose - still needs more tapering and shaping, the fuselage is rolled paper, foam core CRs, the full size has squared box like sides on the bottom so I had to account for that with balsa stringers and foam core strips, which will taper to the sides, ...wing is built up balsa - obviously upsized (I'm just guessing on the airfoil, did kind of a Clark Y with philips entry) and I will be building up the aft end to insert moveable vertical fins and hopefully that will pull the CP back to the rear.

If I can get a good flight on the up part and a decent glide test....I'll draw up plans for a larger 36 inch long version...

Well, it looks like the cats approve at least... The black one DOES look like he is thinking "I could destroy you".

 

[ONAWHIM]

Sandman,

I assume the X-37 prototype is shaped to create lift on glide path, how does the lift factor on initial boost flight?

It would seem to me that the X plane would pull the forward end over to one side and screw up trajectory.

Would this happen on a model as well?



Wm.

 

[MaxQ]

Well, it looks like the cats approve at least... The black one DOES look like he is thinking "I could destroy you".

Heheh...and that cat would too.

The black cat - Sookie was rescued as a kitten last year, abandoned at a construction site. She craves food and will growl while eating to keep all potential intruders away from her plate. Kind of a learned behaviour in the wild I guess.

The white cat has a sad history...rescued from the attic of a murdered family in Virginia...victims of some heavy metal goth psycho kid (you may have read in the news last year). Her name is Azzie...I don't know how long she had been locked up...but she will eat paper...and I have to keep my model magazines and plans away from her when she is on a search and destroy in my den.

 

[MaxQ]

Just happened to see this on the magazine rack today...

 

[powderburner]

It would seem to me that the X plane would pull the forward end over to one side and screw up trajectory.

During boost the X-37 (and an upper stage) are covered by a simple cylindrical fairing on top of the launch vehicle. The X-37 is not exposed to airflow during launch. (Did you see the picture that MaxQ included in post #4? That big fairing on the top is the cover.)

Probably at a higher altitude, after the launcher has climbed through 99% of the atmosphere, they might jettison the fairing to reduce weight they have to carry into orbital insertion. By that point there would be only negligible aerodynamic lift generated by the X-37 wings.


Edit: another good illustration at
https://www.space.com/php/multimedi... within the payload fairing. Click to enlarge.

 

[MarkII]

OK, I give up. What the heck is that thing supposed to be?

MK

 

[dave carver]

...talk about timely.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=11001

 

[MaxQ]

OK, I give up. What the heck is that thing supposed to be?

MK

Oh, just a little project NASA was working on that was underfunded, so the USAF picked it up.

With the shuttle now near retirement, and UAV's becoming increasing more cost effective for the USAF, it appears the USAF combined the two concepts and will be launching this test vehicle this week....

Unmanned...remotely or automatically piloted and recovered on a runway at Vandenburg or Edwards...(or somewhere else..?).....

I was wondering if they could squeeze a couple of guys in there if they had to get a manned presence in space between now and whenever....

 

[ONAWHIM]

May I please have a window seat?





Soooo... back to the Sandman, any progress on scale?

 

[sandman]

May I please have a window seat?





Soooo... back to the Sandman, any progress on scale?

I've been somewhat swamped the past few days with decal and custom nose cone orders.

I'll get back to it when I get caught up. Promise!

O have to get back on my Pad Abort project too!

 

[powderburner]

I was wondering if they could squeeze a couple of guys in there....

Probably not into the X-37, maybe into the X-40 but it would be more work than it is worth.

I don't think the Atlas V is man-rated, I don't think the Centaur is man-rated, I don't think the X-37, the X-40, the payload fairing, or any other part of the launch vehicle has provisions for ejecting a crew; no escape hatch, no structural provisions, no pad-abort systems designed or planned, or much sign of anything else you would need for crew support. You might could put a capsule of some sort into the payload bay on the X-40 but I doubt you could find any volunteers to ride in such a cramped little space for any amount of time, whether or not there were suitable emergency provisions for the crew. And there don't appear to be any windows, so it would be a boring ride.

You have to understand that the whole point of designing these vehicles to operate remotely is to NOT have a crew, or the operating limitations that a crew would add.

 

[Ironnerd88]

Warning - I am going slightly off topic. I appologize in advance for any shock to your system.

Looks like the USAF is finally getting what they were looking for in X-20, and without hazardous duty pay

I can't wait to see how the finished model turns out - and flies!

Actually any of the following would make very cool models:

X-20, X-23, X-24A/B, HL-10, M2-F3, X-30, X-33, X-34, X-37, X-38, X-40, X-42, and X-51 (did I leave anthing out?) And Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon 9 Heavy (why not?)

I know a few have already been done - like the X-20. And that they roll the rocket to help with stability. X-37 is all covered by a shroud though... Not as cool. Maybe if was on top of a Falcon 1... Not very realistic, but high in cool factor.


I now return you to your normally scheduled topic...

 

[sandman]

Warning - I am going slightly off topic. I appologize in advance for any shock to your system.

Looks like the USAF is finally getting what they were looking for in X-20, and without hazardous duty pay

I can't wait to see how the finished model turns out - and flies!

Actually any of the following would make very cool models:

X-20, X-23, X-24A/B, HL-10, M2-F3, X-30, X-33, X-34, X-37, X-38, X-40, X-42, and X-51 (did I leave anthing out?) And Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon 9 Heavy (why not?)

I know a few have already been done - like the X-20. And that they roll the rocket to help with stability. X-37 is all covered by a shroud though... Not as cool. Maybe if was on top of a Falcon 1... Not very realistic, but high in cool factor.


I now return you to your normally scheduled topic...

Actually not that far off topic.

I have them available on my website in BT-60 and BT-80 versions...including decals.

The BT-60 version flys great on a Deuce's Wild. Stability is up to the builder.

I'm also looking to make a BT-20 version to fit on Dr. Zooch's Titan III. That one will be cast resin not balsa.