NASA-contracted Soviet-derived spaceplane Dream Chaser makes successful glide test.

The Dream Chaser spacecraft made a “beautiful flight and landing” during a second glide test on Saturday, according to its producer, Sierra Nevada Corporation. The cargo-carrying spaceplane is expected to supply the ISS for NASA. The engineering test article (ETA) was lifted by a helicopter sky-crane and released from an altitude of over 3,000 meters, Space News reported. It glided towards the Edwards Air Force Base in California and successfully landed. Sierra Nevada Corporation said the test was a success and pledged to give more details on Monday. It was the second glide test for the project.

RT

They had a successful landing of this bird, but the fact that Russia Today is reporting it as Soviet derived seems misleading. It looks a lot like the Boeing X-20 Dynasoar and the name of the A/C is the HL-20. I never read that we stole the Dynasoar from the Soviets.

I read up a bit on the Soviet BOR-4.... they tested it in the 1980's , while the US tested the Dynasoar series in the 1960's.

a reply to: butcherguy

I agree that it seems to be very similar to the Dynasoar.

You gotta understand though Russians are just as deluded as we are when it comes to their national pride, and will often consider anything cool as being Soviet inspired or whatever. I lived with a Russian for a year and I was pretty used to seeing the bias up close.

For decades our presidents flew around in Russian helicopters.

LOL.

Sikorskys!

originally posted by: neo96
For decades our presidents flew around in Russian helicopters.

LOL.

Sikorskys!

If the Bolsheviks hadn't threatened to kill him, he might have been an asset to the Soviets in helicopter design. Their loss was our gain.

a reply to: butcherguy

NASA claims HL-20 is derived from M2-F2 and the HL-10. It does look quite a bit like the BOR lifting bodies though.

HL-20: www.nasa.gov...

BOR: www.buran-energia.com...

The cool thing about the Russian design were the folding wings imho, which the Dream Chaser doesn't have.

a reply to: butcherguy

I have a question.

Given that this thing is either related to a Russian project of over thirty years of age, or even worse, an American project which is nearly SIXTY years old, why is something so relatively ancient in its origins, being worked on? There is no point lofting missions of any sort, based on such aged thinking. We need to start launching missions with THIS decades best ideas, not those of decades and decades ago!

I see Dynasoar, but all I can think is dinosaur.

a reply to: moebius

What? You mean lifting bodies look similar?

a reply to: butcherguy

I love how they're accused of stealing the design from Russia. The first successful lifting body program was flown in the US 10 years before Russia ever flew one. So wouldn't that mean Russia stole the design from us?

a reply to: TrueBrit

Because you don't need to reinvent the wheel for missions to the ISS and LEO. Why would you? Let's see, invent some radical new design that's going to take billions of dollars and 20 years, or something based on a design you know works, will cost a few hundred million, and can be done in half the time.

Have fun spending all that money.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: butcherguy

I love how they're accused of stealing the design from Russia. The first successful lifting body program was flown in the US 10 years before Russia ever flew one. So wouldn't that mean Russia stole the design from us?

That is the way that I see it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: butcherguy

I love how they're accused of stealing the design from Russia. The first successful lifting body program was flown in the US 10 years before Russia ever flew one. So wouldn't that mean Russia stole the design from us?

That's how colonel Steve Austin lost his limbs. Six million dollar man.

In a lift body accident.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The money is not the point.

The thing I am having trouble with, is the idea that it has to take decades to bring an idea from first spark to actual fruition. This is not the dark ages, things should be moving FAR faster than this.

a reply to: TrueBrit

It's not. The early lifting body programs were never designed to go into space in the first place. They were all demonstrators, with some being used to prove the viability of the space shuttle, which was the only lifting body designed to go into space to date.

a reply to: butcherguy

In that case apparently no one can design anything without copying another design considering how many aircraft look similar to others.

originally posted by: neo96
For decades our presidents flew around in Russian helicopters.

LOL.

Sikorsky!

Would you please clarify that correctly so it doesn't look like the choppers came from Russia. Or was that your intent?

They are out of Ft. Worth, Texas you know, which has never been part of Russia nor do I believe Sikorsky himself sends checks to Russia for sending him the craft that bear his name.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: butcherguy

In that case apparently no one can design anything without copying another design considering how many aircraft look similar to others.

I wasn't clear enough.
If the design was stolen, with the two countries noted in the story being the only ones involved, the likelihood of the US stealing the Soviet design is much smaller than vice versa, as the US flew theirs long before the Soviets.

a reply to: butcherguy

And how many ways do you think there are to build a lifting body? There's about as much reason to steal the design as there would be to steal a 757 or something. Lifting bodies really aren't that hard, especially after we proved it could be done.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: butcherguy

And how many ways do you think there are to build a lifting body? There's about as much reason to steal the design as there would be to steal a 757 or something. Lifting bodies really aren't that hard, especially after we proved it could be done.

I guess the 'If' that began my last post eluded you.

I never meant to say that the Russians stole our design. I found it silly for RT to claim that the US were using their design, when we obviously had similar designs tested before they did.

a reply to: butcherguy

It didn't elude me at all. If or not doesn't change the fact that there's pretty much one way to build a lifting body.

No different than all the claims that Russia can only copy our designs, and everything they have is came from the US.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: butcherguy

It didn't elude me at all. If or not doesn't change the fact that there's pretty much one way to build a lifting body.

No different than all the claims that Russia can only copy our designs, and everything they have is came from the US.

I never made that claim.

BTW, are here any differences in the wings of the STS and the HL-20?