ASSET

ASSET (short for the TL;DR-worthy Aerothermodynamic Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Tests) was a series of small re-entry vehicles built and tested in the early 1960’s. intended to resemble the nose of the X-20 Dyna Soar, these little wing-body vehicles were launched on suborbital trajectories by Thor IRBMs. Of the six launched only one was recovered, and is currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. I visited there last year, and took a number of photos. Also included is a diagram of the main structural breakdown, courtesy Mark Nankivil.