Martin Astroplane Art: 2

To continue…

The Martin Astroplane of 1961 was a long, slim vehicle (only scale reference for this particular design is a mention in an article in “Missiles and Rockets” that it would be the “size of a B-70”), with a squared-off nose. As shown in the artists renderings, the cockpit was small, perhaps with tandem seating (if it sat more than just the one pilot). It’s somewhat similar in general configuration to the much later X-30 National Aero Space Plane and the X-43, using the blunt planform nose and flat underside to direct airflow into the inlet. It is much slimmer than the X-30, however; this would have been due to  the nuclear powerplant replacing much of the bulky hydrogen fuel.