Northrop unveils XS-1 spaceplane design

Northrop Grumman has teamed with Virgin Galactic, and Scaled Composites for the Phase 1 portion of the DARPA XS-1 space plane program. The design is for a vertical launched platform that will land horizontally, with minimal ground crew and infrastructure. Under Phase 1 they have 13 months from the July awarding of the contract, to demonstrate 10 launches in 10 days, at least one Mach 10 flight on launch, as well as releasing a small payload into orbit. DARPA has a goal of reducing costs of the 3,000-5,000 pound payload to under $5M per launch.

Under Phase 1, Boeing was also awarded a contract. They are teamed with Blue Origin, and Masten Space Systems/XCOR Aerospace.

Northrop Grumman has unveiled its vertical-launch, horizontal-landing reusable booster design for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (Darpa) XS-1 experimental spaceplane program.

Northrop, teamed with subsidiary Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic, is working under a 13-month, $3.9 million Phase 1 preliminary-design contract, awarded in July. Contracts also went to Boeing with Blue Origin, and Masten Space Systems with XCOR Aerospace.

Northrop’s unmanned spaceplane is launched vertically from a transporter/erector/launcher, in a "clean pad"-operation with minimum infrastructure and ground crew. The spaceplane is designed for highly autonomous flight operations, the company says.

AvWeek

Northrop Grumman with Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic is developing a preliminary design and flight demonstration plan for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Experimental Spaceplane XS-1 program.

XS-1has a reusable booster that when coupled with an expendable upper stage provides affordable, available and responsive space lift for 3,000-pound class spacecraft into low Earth orbit.

www.spacedaily.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

What would be the purpose of this craft? I mean I understand that they can haul equipment into space but is that it? I mean besides bringing people and things into outer space what kind of mission will this have? It is being funded by DARPA the thought of militarizing space is scary reminds me of ODIN from a Call of Duty game when I think about it.

a reply to: Brotherman

DARPA has led the way I'm many fields you and I take for granted now.

This is for launching small satellites into orbit. Communications, surveillance, etc.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I do realize that DARPA does do alot and I wasn't trying to elude to putting weapons into space per se I was just always under the impression that using aircraft like this is inefficient. What will this one do that the last shuttle design could not do?

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: Zaphod58

I do realize that DARPA does do alot and I wasn't trying to elude to putting weapons into space per se I was just always under the impression that using aircraft like this is inefficient. What will this one do that the last shuttle design could not do?

First and foremost, it is way more cheaper to maintain, operate and launch. Its also significantly lighter, requiring less fuel to bring into orbit. Not to mention that this shuttle is completely autonomous. So overall the XS-1 cannot be compared to the previous shuttle, its mission and capabilities differ a lot.

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: Zaphod58

I do realize that DARPA does do alot and I wasn't trying to elude to putting weapons into space per se I was just always under the impression that using aircraft like this is inefficient. What will this one do that the last shuttle design could not do?

Be built with modern materials for optimum strength, weight, and heat resistance way beyond the Shuttle's "era".
Carbon graphite body for one specific item, but many others are out there.

'They' all want to get their designs up and running before the Brits come along with their space plane with a 15 ton payload and turn around time of a Boeing 747, there is panic in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

a reply to: Clairaudience

Im not a big aircraft guru, lol I just think they are neat to look at so I wouldn't know but thank you for clarifying that because this stuff is super neat! You said it was autonomous what does that mean is it like a drone or something I don't understand?

originally posted by: pikestaff
'They' all want to get their designs up and running before the Brits come along with their space plane with a 15 ton payload and turn around time of a Boeing 747, there is panic in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

Perhaps some added emphasis with the British plane well into development.

We have knowledge from the National Aerospace Plane design and analysis from 1988-1994 that theoretically would go Mach 17. The Rand Corp audit of the materials resulted in not going forward with build/test phase for two planes.

The major flaws with horizontal takeoff for these planes was realized by this attempt. Too much fuel used, heat created that mitigation systems could not adequately cool.
Too risky.
Ozone depletion was another major reason.

a reply to: Brotherman

Ten launches in ten days is something that the old shuttle could never do.

a reply to: butcherguy

Does everyone in PA hate cats lol jk

That is pretty cool about the new shuttle, I don't know much about the shuttle or this new design, I only recently got interested in space craft after being given a box of nasa reel to reels awhile back from Goddard Space Center.

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: Zaphod58

What would be the purpose of this craft? I mean I understand that they can haul equipment into space but is that it? I mean besides bringing people and things into outer space what kind of mission will this have? It is being funded by DARPA the thought of militarizing space is scary reminds me of ODIN from a Call of Duty game when I think about it.

two things; it provides cheaper launch capability for the market. secondly it matures the technology so that a future generation will be even more amazing.

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: butcherguy

Does everyone in PA hate cats lol jk

That is pretty cool about the new shuttle, I don't know much about the shuttle or this new design, I only recently got interested in space craft after being given a box of nasa reel to reels awhile back from Goddard Space Center.

I am glad they have this design in the works. This kind of vehicle would provide the means for space rescue missions if the need would arise.

Off topic:
NO, my ex-wife likes cats and she lives in PA.

a reply to: Brotherman

It's unmanned (I really hate the term drone). So they were able to remove all the life support, and make it smaller. It can't carry the payload of the old NASA shuttle, but it can stay in orbit for years at a time. The X-37B on the current mission has been up for over a year and a half now IIRC.

a reply to: Zaphod58

hey man that is some pretty cool stuff then. too bad they don't make documentaries about how they build these things and what goes into them because of the need for secrecy but I would so love to see that first hand for sure.

I got all happy then I saw the design....borrrriiinnnngggg.

When are we gonna get spaceships like the X-wing and you know .

a reply to: Brotherman
Maybe not paying the Russians $30m to put one astronaut in orbit or buying Russian rocket motors.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Having been away from ATS for awhile, I still must intrude into these threads--that are genuine news and worthy of some discussion in the conventional sense, but still, I must interject and ask, if this is the current case for "advanced" technology, then who is building and "flying" the triangles that i and about 20 other individuals witnessed over Laramie in June of 1998?

a reply to: Aliensun

You don't know the capabilities of the triangles vs these.

Did you see a triangle launch something into orbit? Suppose they're dark airfoil dirigibles?

originally posted by: Brotherman
a reply to: Zaphod58

What would be the purpose of this craft? I mean I understand that they can haul equipment into space but is that it?

An ICBM warhead is a satellite whose orbit happens to intersect the earth's surface.

A military use is 'prompt global strike'. When you need a package delivered absolutely, positively, in 30 minutes or he goes free.

Say you find the Anti-Caliph of ISIS on the phone in a confirmed location and he's been a very naughty boy and needs a bombing ASAP.

And you don't have anything else which will get there fast enough. Put on a GBU-37 in a re-entry vehicle..