NASA News
April 28, 1999
X-34 Technology Demonstrator
Scheduled for Roll-Out
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The unpiloted, reusable X-34 is designed to demonstrate technologies and operations necessary to cut the cost of putting payloads into orbit from $10,000 to $1,000 per pound. |
WASHINGTON, DC, Apr. 26 -- NASA's newest experimental launch vehicle -- the X-34 -- is scheduled to roll out in a ceremony to be held at Dryden Flight Research Center on April 30 at 11 a.m. PDT.
"Until now, the X-34 has been on the drawing board and the shop floor," said X-34 Project Manager Mike Allen of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. "With this roll-out, the X-34 joins a proud heritage of experimental NASA vehicles."
NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and David Thompson, president and CEO of Orbital Sciences Corporation, builder of the X-34, will head the group of NASA and Orbital Sciences officials participating in the ceremony
"We are very excited about the roll-out milestone of the X-34, which signifies that we are now entering the flight-testing phase of the program," said Thompson. "With the experience that we will gain from operating the reusable X-34 vehicle, Orbital will be well positioned to begin developing a reusable launch system for commercial launch services."
Orbital Sciences has an $85.7 million contract with NASA to design, build, and test the X-34. The contract includes a ground-test vehicle and two flight vehicles.
The X-34 -- a winged, single-engine vehicle -- is 58.3 feet long, 11.5 feet tall and has a 27.7-foot wingspan. It will be powered by a reusable Fastrac engine, designed and developed at Marshall and built by NASA's industry partners. According to NASA, the Fastrac provides 60,000 pounds of thrust and is aimed at boosting payloads of up to 500 pounds.
Beginning late this year, the X-34 will undergo a series of 27 suborbital test flights to demonstrate technologies such as an advanced thermal-protection system, composite structural components, innovative avionics, increased reliability, rapid turnaround between flights, a small operations team, subsonic flight through rain and fog, safe abort, and autonomous landing.
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The X-34 will be launched from beneath an Orbital Sciences carrier plane. |
NASA says that the X-34 -- which will be air-launched from a modified Orbital Sciences L-1011 carrier plane -- is capable of flying at eight times the speed of sound and reaching altitudes of approximately 50 miles. It will make an automated landing on a conventional runway, and can be readied for its next flight in 24 hours.
The roll-out X-34 will be used as the ground-test vehicle. It will remain at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, for tests intended to prove the airworthiness of the combined L-1011 and X-34 vehicles. The first flight-test vehicle is under development at the Orbital Sciences facility in Dulles, VA.
"We need new technologies that allow spacecraft to operate more like today's commercial air carriers," said Mike Allen. "The X-34 is going to help make that happen."
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Its ability to make a conventional runway landing is a key feature of the X-34 resusable launch vehicle. |