Martin Marietta X-24A Lifting Body

The Martin Marietta X-24A was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). It was designed and built to test lifting body concepts, experimenting with the concept of unpowered reentry and landing, later used by the Space Shuttle.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Martin
• Marietta
• X-24
• experimental
• US
• aircraft
• USAF
• NASA
• lifting
• body
• NB-52
• Edwards
• AFB

[andykop0615]

Is this newer or better than the HL-10 lifting body?

[jaglavaksoldier]

Yes, the HL-10 first flew in 1966. The X-24 first flew in 1969.

[andykop0615]

also, did it reach its high speed just by falling down from that altitude? are lifting bodies capable of taking off by themselves conventionally or do they need assistance?

[jaglavaksoldier]

@andykop0615 Yes. It was used as a research vehicle for the development of the Space Shuttle. Basically to test the unpowered glide characteristics of a lifting body.

[sticksman1]

@Scroungeman... No! The opening sequence shows a Northrop HL-10 being dropped. The crash sequence is of Bruce Petersen's accident in the Northrop M2-F2 - you should check out the NASA Dryden Movies.

[Scroungeman]

Isn't that the one Steve Austin crashed in "The Six Million Dollar Man"?

[TracyAndersonFoxhunt]

this is a cool video. i wish someone would post Manke's flight in the HL-10 (NASA film - Flight Without Wings)

[MrWhattheFoxHat]

It's at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. It's in the Research and development section on the main base. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

[andykop0615]

do you know if they still have one of these in a museum or something? I went to the smithsonian but i dont think i saw it there.