Delta Clipper Experimental Advanced (DCXA)

The DC-X, short for Delta Clipper or Delta Clipper Experimental, was an unmanned prototype of a reusable single stage to orbit launch vehicle built by McDonnell Douglas in conjunction with the DOD's SDIO from 1991 to 1993. After that period it was given to NASA, who upgraded the design for improved performance to create the DC-XA.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Delta
• Clipper
• Experimental
• Advanced
• NASA
• rockets
• DCXA

[Florhusband]

What killed this project was a combination of politics, unrealistic demands, on/and/off funding and just plain exhaustion. The people controlling that last flight were overworked and the spacecraft fell prey to that odious problem - pilot error due to fatigue.

[widowmaker4542]

Thank NASA for killing it. This was a great prototype with relatively low $. If it doesn't take off vertical and glide back in, NASA doesn't want it. It will take a generation or two to retire from NASA before VTOL is seriously considered. Sadly, I don't think we have any Pete Conrad prototypes out there that can drive the program. He is sorely missed.

[ColonelPercyFawcett]

@applesweeter

Answer on an _another_ "Why": wiki, Advanced_Automation_for_Space_­Missions

[SKYSURVEYOR]

Great ! +1

B RDY!

Search : OMG UFO

[millenniumf1138]

@dvh065 Fair points. A space plane concept actually does make more sense to me. I suppose I want ships like the Delta Clipper to be a reality because tail-landing reminds me of the old sci-fi movies from the 50s and 60s I used to watch as a kid.

[dvh065]

@millenniumf1138 and how it slowdown from space re-entry speed and have enough fuel left to do the soft landing? Clear concept, good to try but myself I can't see it will work unless it have wings.

[millenniumf1138]

@dvh065 If the payload in question is crew for the ISS or other space stations, then it's effective payload isn't reduce by much with integral fuel tanks. There are plenty of heavy lifter designs which use disposable stages, while a small ship like this would be able to get crews to orbitquickly and cheaply. It would make space rescues a viable concept too, because of the relatively quick readiness time of the vehicle.

But stuff like this is better left to the private sector.

[kffive]

I will be the first to call it "The Flying Out House."

[lwkmkam]

skygood

[dvh065]

Simple concept, flying fuel tank, even build with light material, it will have to carry useless empty fuel tank for the rest of the trip instead of effective payload. That why every rocket yesterday or today have separate stages or throw away tanks such as US space shuttle or Russian Soyuz. DC-X program being cancelled is highly predicted.

[RecklessTornado]

................AND IT WAS CANCELLED!