A Mysterious Space Launch Mothership A Missing Link In Area 51's Past?

Now it's getting interesting.

Is This Concept Art Of A Mysterious Space Launch Mothership A Missing Link In Area 51's Past? - by Tylor Rogoway and Joseph Trevithick.

On January 14th, 2019 Boeing released a series of concept art images showing a very large, high-speed, high-altitude, mothership aircraft and its payload, a reusable air-launched space vehicle. The images are quite interesting for a number of reasons. First off, the setting seems to depict Groom Lake, aka Area 51. Second, they closely match a patent for just such a launch system that was filed by Boeing in 1986 and awarded in 1989. Finally, this concept is pretty much identical to a rumored program that supposedly flew from the base during the last decade of the 20th Century and possibly into the 21st Century. The timing of the patent and concept drawings also correlates with a number of factors that would support the existence of, or at least the logic behind procuring such an exotic space access system.

Read more at: www.thedrive.com...

a reply to: SpeedFanatic

I got a warning that I was about to surrender all my personal information to USA if I enter that site...

Could you just post those pictures here instead

I'm impressed. They managed to link every program ever hinted at, including Aurora, which was proven a long time ago to have absolutely nothing to do with high speed platforms. Patents don't prove anything, even if they are timed to rumors.

originally posted by: Spacespider
a reply to: SpeedFanatic
I got a warning that I was about to surrender all my personal information to USA if I enter that site...

Oh, they already have your information.

a reply to: Zaphod58

is the blackstar real?

My favourite part is that the mountains are Nevada mountains and not say generic mountains such as one might find at Edwards. Hint: most concept artists aren't visiting Groom in order to paint their backgrounds haha

I think it’s a very interesting article. I think about my own sighting of a very large, very loud aircraft which I’ve described on here before, on approach to Kelly AFB back in 2001. Boeing operates one of the largest military aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities in the world at Kelly Field. Interesting coincidence.

www.dreamlandresort.com... > black projects > Experimental Aircraft Sighting in 1995.

The plane in the photograph on the Area 51 tarmac, though hard to tell conclusively from the distance, appears to have the same forward leaning appearance as the Boeing Beta artwork. The sketch of the photo looks identical to the buzzard. Interesting coincidence.

www.dreamlandresort.com...

www.dreamlandresort.com...

a reply to: SpeedFanatic

Interesting concept art, it appears to be a rocket powered high altitude probably hypersonic aerial launch AND recovery vehicle.
The launch method seem's a bit odd until you take into account the fact that to launch it any other way would mean compromised aerodynamics's for the launch vehicle so the only possible was was the old fashioned drop out of the belly method, when launched the speed of the launched object would still be nearly as fast as it's launch vehicle and it would likely drop behind before igniting it's own rocket engine.
Actually it look's like a far superior solution to the old space shuttle design, instead of dropping tank's and boosters they are all comprised in one package in the form of the launch vehicle and of course the launch vehicle is so designed that it can then capture the re-entering craft at hypersonic speed and at extremely high altitude.
Not as advanced as I would like to see they actually using and an old idea but still a highly viable launch and recover system and far more elegant than those big clunky rocket's that everyone is still using but perhaps only really suitable for low orbital insertion - But then of course if the orbital vehicle itself acted as just another stage than the engines on its' payload could then insert that payload into a higher orbit.

a reply to: SpeedFanatic

LOL

That's the Boeing / USAF Beta TSTO concept. Not sure what is so mysterious about it.

Secretprojects thread:
www.secretprojects.co.uk...

Some NASA papers about the smaller Beta-II derivative:
ntrs.nasa.gov...
ntrs.nasa.gov...
ntrs.nasa.gov...

originally posted by: moebius
a reply to: SpeedFanatic

LOL

That's the Boeing / USAF Beta TSTO concept. Not sure what is so mysterious about it.

Secretprojects thread:
www.secretprojects.co.uk...

Some NASA papers about the smaller Beta-II derivative:
ntrs.nasa.gov...
ntrs.nasa.gov...
ntrs.nasa.gov...

Yeah funny someone had to tell them that after the article went up. They need to watch this side more closely.
Now, what was the „Alpha“?

a reply to: SpeedFanatic

the german aircraft spotter said he saw a large aircraft on the runway there with similar exhaust outlets.

i will read the article later as im super busy now

Two cool planes:

a reply to: Zaphod58

I was thinking the same thing as I was reading the article. Rogoway loves over-writing and grasping at straws doesn’t he?

a reply to: AussieNutter

Yeah, I've noticed that. Kind of amusing at times.

If he reports it.It must be true on the internet

a reply to: Zaphod58

Do you have any idea/speculation, that you're willing to share on what Project Dilithium is?

Feel free to PM if it's not for the open forum.

a reply to: AussieNutter

Speculation yes, willing to share not so much. A few of us have been bouncing ideas around.

a reply to: AussieNutter

PD its an interesting name isnt it.

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
a reply to: AussieNutter

PD its an interesting name isnt it.

Pulse detonation?

a reply to: BASSPLYR

It really is, pity it would probably come down to someone in the project office being an avid Trekkie and thought it would be fun to throw it into the mix and give us aviation nerds something to look at...

Hey, I've sent you a PM too.