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X-59 Resembles Actual Aircraft
NASA ^ | Aug 3, 2021 | Sasha Ellis

Posted on 08/03/2021 5:02:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin

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The team at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, merged the major sections of the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft, which includes the wing, tail assembly, and fuselage or forward section. This marks the first time the X-59 resembles an actual aircraft.
Credits: Lockheed Martin

1 posted on 08/03/2021 5:02:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

I wonder how many Chinese engineers Lockheed Martin has assigned to the project.


2 posted on 08/03/2021 5:13:12 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: BenLurkin

I wonder how many Chinese engineers Lockheed Martin has assigned to the project.


3 posted on 08/03/2021 5:13:48 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: House Atreides

All they need is 1.


4 posted on 08/03/2021 5:31:05 PM PDT by norwaypinesavage (The stoMr. Penkevichne age didn't end because we ran out of stones.)
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To: norwaypinesavage
All they need is 1.

The vehicle looks too small to be able to do anything practical with it.

5 posted on 08/03/2021 5:41:21 PM PDT by plsvn
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To: plsvn

Do you understand the concept of “experimental”? That’s what the “X” stands for.


6 posted on 08/03/2021 5:49:22 PM PDT by Chainmail (Frater magnus te spectat)
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To: BenLurkin

“Eventually the 30-foot-long nose of the aircraft will be mounted to the fuselage”

Any guesses how an air crew is going to be able to safely taxi, take off & land a plane where the cockpit sits 30-ft behind the nose? Oh wait? The engineers are the experts and like the CDC us peons aren’t supposed to use our common sense evaluating the situation.


7 posted on 08/03/2021 5:52:38 PM PDT by Tallguy
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To: Tallguy

... I mean when the electronics fail.


8 posted on 08/03/2021 5:54:21 PM PDT by Tallguy
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To: BenLurkin

Artist rendition of the completed aircraft. That is one crazy setup for the cockpit. Basically no forward windows due to, I suppose, an attempt to reduce the fuselage cross-section. Probably uses a display screen for the pilot so he can "see" forward.

9 posted on 08/03/2021 5:57:05 PM PDT by Flick Lives (We may or may not have reached herd immunity, but we've definitely achieved herd stupidity.)
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To: Flick Lives

Is that a sun roof, moon roof, half-roof, or no roof at all?


10 posted on 08/03/2021 6:01:13 PM PDT by nicollo (I said no!)
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To: Tallguy

Ummm, probably cameras feeding into the cockpit.


11 posted on 08/03/2021 6:01:41 PM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: Tallguy

... I mean when the electronics fail.

Most high performance aircraft are fly-by-wire and they don’t work if the electronics fails, but these types of aircraft have layers of backup systems.

With some of the more exotic aircraft, like the F-117 Nighthawk, the plane is so inherently *unstable* that even if manual controls existed, it would be impossible to fly manual-only.


12 posted on 08/03/2021 6:04:51 PM PDT by Flick Lives (We may or may not have reached herd immunity, but we've definitely achieved herd stupidity.)
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To: Flick Lives

Reminds me of the 50’s Douglas X3


13 posted on 08/03/2021 6:08:51 PM PDT by tophat9000 (Tophat9000)
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To: nicollo
Is that a sun roof, moon roof, half-roof, or no roof at all?

You almost have to figure the next step in an aircraft design is to not even bother with windows. The pilot would just have view screens that look like he's looking outside. Or take it even one more step and the pilot just wears a pair of VR goggles.


14 posted on 08/03/2021 6:12:05 PM PDT by Flick Lives (We may or may not have reached herd immunity, but we've definitely achieved herd stupidity.)
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To: Flick Lives

Perhaps. But we’re not talking about military aircraft here operating from relatively remote air bases. These are commercial aircraft operating from urban airports. These aircraft must, in my view, be inherently stable and be able to operate in degraded conditions with steam gouges and mark-one eyeball.


15 posted on 08/03/2021 6:12:17 PM PDT by Tallguy
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To: Chainmail

These are flying Teslas designed to get John Kerry & AL Gore to Davos each year so they can lecture us about carbon offsets. These planes will not be any more economically viable than Concord was. They haul fewer passengers and all the concepts for production models are this small.


16 posted on 08/03/2021 6:16:09 PM PDT by Tallguy
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To: Tallguy

Any guesses how an air crew is going to be able to safely taxi, take off & land a plane where the cockpit sits 30-ft behind the nose? >>>> Mount a go pro on the front?


17 posted on 08/03/2021 6:23:26 PM PDT by kvanbrunt2
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To: Tallguy

Not actually an aeronautical engineer, are you


18 posted on 08/03/2021 6:31:54 PM PDT by Chainmail (Frater magnus te spectat)
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To: House Atreides
"I wonder how many Chinese engineers Lockheed Martin has assigned to the project."

Better yet, wonder how many American citizens have been assigned to the project...

Of course we can be assured that LGBT and people-of-color each have their fair proportion represented...

All they are doing is applying tried & true American science & engineering know-how that proved so succesful 70-years ago.../s

19 posted on 08/03/2021 6:34:39 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is another Sam Adams now that we desperately need him?)
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To: Flick Lives

Maybe the aircraft is ultimately going to be unmanned.


20 posted on 08/03/2021 6:38:53 PM PDT by Ben Dover
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