Early HL-10 cockpit planning

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Oct 232012

Photos circa 1963-1964 show a full-scale NASA-Langley mockup of the forward nose section of the HL-10 lifting body shape. Incorporated into this was a framework showing a potential canopy configuration. This would clearly have been for a low-speed (non-orbital) test version, much like the HL-10 that was actually built.

Posted by admin at 3:02 am
  • Michael the Somewhat Civilized

    What’s the flat thing sticking up on the nose? Some sort of sight to help pick out the landing place? It’s not shaped the same way in all the photos.

  • Jordan

    Scott, When you were out in the industry did you work with the virtual reality cad design systems?

    • Anonymous

      Nope, just regular CAD systems.

  • publiusr

    I would have thought that having the cockpit high up would be better on re-entry than in the nose.

    • Anonymous

      From a drag and heating standpoint, *any* bump in the surface is worse than *no* bump. All such designs would have had heat shields over any transparencies.

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