Tweet From Boeing Defense

The XS-1 timeline calls for Boeing to design, build, and fly a technology demonstrator by 2019. So unveiling a prototype at the end of this year fits pretty well into that timeline. As part of Phase 2, they have to show the feasibility of firing the engine 10 times in 10 days. It doesn't match up to the public images, but it is being designed and built by Phantom Works, and the design may be different from what's being shown.

The Stingray also matches up on the timeline, with the Navy saying they'll select the prime contractor by next summer. However, if they stuck with something similar to their UCLASS design, this doesn't match up to that either.

Personally my money is on something space related. Possibly a small scale XS-1, or even a new design we haven't heard about yet that they've been developing on their own.

Given the "Changing future Airpower" quote, I'm guessing not XS-1 related.

Maybe X-45N got finished on the companies dime, based on the shadow.

a reply to: Zaphod58

does this mean SSTO stuff will be coming into the light? surely they have been working on in for a long time i mean COPPER COAST is how old now?

a reply to: RadioRobert

Considering that the XS-1 is supposed to fly up to Mach 10 on the payload launch profile, I'd say that would change future airpower.

"The XS-1 would be neither a traditional airplane nor a conventional launch vehicle but rather a combination of the two, with the goal of lowering launch costs by a factor of ten and replacing today's frustratingly long wait time with launch on demand," DARPA program manager Jess Sponable said in a statement. "We're very pleased with Boeing's progress on the XS-1 through Phase 1 of the program and look forward to continuing our close collaboration in this newly funded progression to Phases 2 and 3 — fabrication and flight." [DARPA's Experimental XS-1 Space Plane in Pictures]

"After multiple shakedown flights to reduce risk, the XS-1 would aim to fly 10 times over 10 consecutive days, at first without payloads and at speeds as fast as Mach 5," DARPA officials wrote in a statement. "Subsequent flights are planned to fly as fast as Mach 10, and deliver a demonstration payload between 900 pounds and 3,000 pounds [400 to 1,360 kg] into low Earth orbit." (Mach 5 means five times the speed of sound, which equates to 3,806 mph, and Mach 10, or 10 times the speed of sound, is 7,612 mph.)

www.space.com...

a reply to: penroc3

It's not an SSTO though. It's a vertical launch, high altitude launch platform. So I don't see it doing much for the SSTO field.

a reply to: Zaphod58

To deliver a payload to LEO requires traveling at Mach 22. The shuttle did it.

a reply to: Phage

This is more like a first stage that launches another rocket for insertion to orbit.

a reply to: RadioRobert
From the above external quote:

"Subsequent flights are planned to fly as fast as Mach 10, and deliver a demonstration payload between 900 pounds and 3,000 pounds [400 to 1,360 kg] into low Earth orbit."

a reply to: Phage

XS-1 is only the first stage. It's carrying a second rocket that will carry the payload. The XS-1 will take it up to the upper atmophere, and accelerate it up to Mach 10, at which point the rocket will be launched, to take the payload up to orbit.

a reply to: Phage

I added the link that I forgot.

The Phantom Express XS-1 is designed to launch to the edge of space, and deploy a piggyback-mounted second stage that would carry a satellite the rest of the way into orbit. The space plane would then return to Earth to make a runway landing.

www.space.com...

The XS-1 isn't carrying the payload into orbit, it's carrying a rocket to where it can go into orbit easier than launching from the ground.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Ah. Got it.

But "air power" implies warfighting, to my mind. Is it also a weapons platform?

a reply to: Phage

Not in the traditional sense. Which is why I think it isn't related to XS-1. But it is a DARPA project and has military application as a launch platform.

Still, you don't generally associate launch platforms (or satellites) with "air power".

a reply to: Phage

The XS-1 isn't going to be the air power changer, but the technology it could be used to mature is going to be. If they can get it up to Mach 10, flying like an aircraft, it could be used to improve material science to make high speed aircraft much more feasible. Yes, the shuttle did that coming back in, but this will help more than the shuttle did, because it's purely atmospheric.

a reply to: RadioRobert

As I said, a platform that could fly at Mach 10, while remaining in atmosphere, can be used to mature other technology that does change future air power. Not to mention the on demand satellite launch capability. That will change the way we look at air power. If they can launch satellites when they want to, they can put ISR satellites up that aren't as predictable as the existing satellites in orbit are.

It could be the Stingray, but if they're going to fly XS-1 by 2019, they need to roll it out within the next couple of months, or they will be pushing it and things will have to go really well in ground testing.

www.uasvision.com...

Still my guess.

We'll see next week.

a reply to: RadioRobert

They would have had to redesign it quite a bit for the Stingray, if they stuck with it. It might be though.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Wounding if it hasn't already flown..all these loud double boom across the globe could have been it entering and re-entering ....maybe...!!!

Anyone check Boeing patents?

a reply to: TAGBOARD

If it's black you won't find anything. Even if it's grey you won't find it.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Zaphod58
Ah. Got it.

But "air power" implies warfighting, to my mind. Is it also a weapons platform?

More like an escape platform...

stratolaunch mothership