Arado E555 Amerika Bomber Porject:
Posted on 05/10/2024 4:53:08 AM PDT by Jonty30
It was set to be the world's first flight test for an aerospike rocket engine, but the MIRA I prototype crashed on takeoff before the most innovative part of its propulsion system could fire. Undeterred, Polaris is building two bigger prototypes. The MIRA I, from German aerospace startup Polaris Raumflugzeuge, was traveling at approximately 105 mph (169 km/h) during takeoff when a "landing gear steering reaction" plus a side wind caused a "hard landing event," rendering the space plane inoperable and it's fiberglass airframe damaged beyond repair. Its subsystems remained mostly intact – however, rather than attempt to repair the prototype spaceplane, Polaris has opted to decommission the 4.25-meter (13.9-ft) long MIRA I to go ahead with the identically shaped 5 m (16 ft) MIRA II and III design. Basically larger copies of the MIRA I.
(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...
If they would shorten the name, it might have been a Wright-brothers-type event...
It’s why Germans don’t play scrabble.
Which means what?
I interpret his comments as a jab that you’re at least 60 years old. Nothing wrong with being 60, however.
Ha! Passed 60 a while ago - now I get it.
Thanks
Naah, this is old tech. Nothing to do with WW2 dudes.
I first read about this in the 1969 “frontiers of Space” book by Bono and Gatland. Kinda cool in that the aerospike is designed to be ground to orbit and back again. No stages, no parachutes.
Sorta like Musk’s efforts.
Blows thru fuel like crazy, but you save on all the bits&bobs you don’t throw away or drop on everyone’s heads.
Arado E555 Amerika Bomber Porject:
I was just gonna say it looks like the Ekranoplane ground effect aircraft of the NAZIs.
Pictures show carbon fiber. It looks like they just blew off a few panels. Also at the landing gear it probably ripped though the mounting pads, hence why it won’t bother being rebuilt. Something that small in carbon fiber can be made faster than repairing with reinforcements where needed.
I hope they get it to fly- it would be a game-changer.
Hmmm...
Another German attribute...
No showers... No scrabble... No nuclear power...
You’re correct, of course. But look at the pictures above.
There’s a definite family resemblance.
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