Sep 092011
Even though I’m desperately far behind on getting out APR issue V3N2, I’m nevertheless also thinking about future articles. One I’m interested in is some for of “Titan Derivatives” article. The problem is in determining how to cut it off. The UA-1205 motors designed for the Titan IIIC were, after all, proposed for all kinds of other vehicles, from ROMBUS to Saturn Ib to Saturn V to Shuttle to even an atmospheric bomber.
Below is a March 1972 McDonnell Douglas concept for a Space Shuttle with UA-1207 motors as boosters, rather than the larger RSRM’s that actually flew. Along with the different booster configuration, also note that the orbiter is equipped with two podded turbojet engines.
4 Responses to “Titan-Boosted Shuttle”
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FIVE UA1207 from Titan IIIM !
how was evaluation about Booster failure ?
This had made Shuttle more flexible for payload launch and launch costs
4 for small to up 6 Booster for heavy payload or polar orbit mission…
Didn’t Russia also have the same idea of turbojets on their shuttles?
The Buran Analogue used them.
The operational Buran was eventually to get them also, once they could up performance or cut weight on the Energia booster.
The ground take-off flight test article had the aft-mounted jets on it, as well as an added pair of jets attached to the rear fuselage sides to allow it to take of without assistance.
With the operational engines on the Buran it would have been able to fly under its own power after reentry, but not take off with them once landed; here’s info on the jet engine installation that was to be used on the later operational Burans: http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buran.ru%2Fhtm%2Fvrdu.htm
Doors would be closed over the front of the pods during flight and reentry to protect the engine’s compressors from the hot reentry plasma.
We ditched the idea of added jet engines on the Shuttle after seeing how our lifting body test aircraft could accurately glide down to a runway landing during flight tests from their B-52 carrier aircraft.