The MiG 105. Russia's experimental mini shuttle.
Posted on 06/05/2010 11:36:21 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The U.S. Air Force's secretive X-37B space plane may eventually get some company in low-Earth orbit as other countries such as Italy and Russia push forward with plans for their own reusable winged spaceships.
Italy's prototype space plane, named Pollux, successfully carried out high-speed maneuvers that slowed it down from a falling speed of Mach 1.2 during a test flight in April. More recently, Russia has begun considering whether to revive a Cold War era, air-launched mini-shuttle in response to the U.S. X-37B space plane debut.
Such efforts may not immediately lead to full-fledged operational flights. But in the case of the Italian Center for Aerospace Research (CIRA) in Capua, Italy, aerospace engineers hope to provide crucial lessons for future space planes, such as how to pull off autonomous re-entry and survive the return trip through Earth's atmosphere.
"Everybody knows about the unmanned X-37B flight, but nobody knows if it will re-enter with an autonomous modality," said Gennaro Russo, CIRA's Space Programs lead and USV (Unmanned Space Vehicles) program manager.
The Russian MAKS system represents a more complete space plane system that's not unlike the X-37B. But there's no word as to how or when a resurrected MAKS mini-shuttle might fly.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
bump
Its been so long I do not think that existing model will fly. I would think that they will have to start from scratch.
I assume that MiG still have the plans of the MiG 105 at their plant. They would probably update the avionics on the plane.
Ping
I agree with you.
Where’s Pan-Am?
I guess we could ask “Where’s good passenger service on flights?” as well.
Dr. Haywood Floyd would not be pleased with the current developments.
You’ve got that right. I used to love to fly but hate it now. I never fly now, because I remember the experience of flight back in the day and can’t help comparing it to the ordeal it is now.
Do you when Pan Am actually sold tickets for the Space Clipper?
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