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| X-40A | |
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| Role | Glide test vehicle |
| National origin | USA |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Phantom Works |
| First flight | August 11, 1998 (dropped by CH-47 Chinook) |
| Retired | May 2001 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | AFRL NASA |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Boeing X-37 |
The Boeing X-40A Space Maneuver Vehicle was part of the X-37 Future-X Reusable Launch Vehicle project. Built to 85 percent scale, in 2001 it successfully demonstrated the glide capabilities of the X-37's fat-bodied, short-winged design and validated the proposed guidance system.
Its first ever drop test occurred at Holloman AFB, NM on August 11 1998 at 6:59 am. This was a joint Air Force/Boeing project known as Space Maneuver Vehicle. It is reported to be the first ever test of a fully autonomous space vehicle (Japan's earlier test turned out to be partially controlled). It was released from approx. 9,200 ft at 2.5 miles from the end of runway 04 from a helicopter. The vehicle dove to the runway much the way a Space Shuttle does now, flared, and landed left of centerline. It successfully deployed its drag chutes, tracked to within seven feet of centerline and stopped at just over 7,000 feet.
Specifications (X-40)
General characteristics
- Crew: None
- Length: 6.5 m (21 ft)
- Wingspan: 3.5 m (11 ft)
- Height: 2.3 m (7.5 ft)
- Empty weight: 2,500 lbs (1,100 kg)
- Useful load: 1,200 lbs (540 kg)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 480 km/h (300 mph)
Avionics
Honeywell 12-channel Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI) system
See also
Related lists
External links
- NASA Dryden X-40A SMV Photo Collection
- X-40A Test Flight, Boeing press release
- X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle (SMV) on Globalsecurity.org
- Boeing X-37 / X-40 page on Designation-systems.net
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 5 October 2008, at 03:06.
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