Martin Marietta X-23
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The Martin X-23A PRIME (Precision Reentry Including Maneuvering reEntry) (SV-5D) was a small
lifting-body A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft or spacecraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift (force), lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as ...
re-entry vehicle Atmospheric entry is the movement of an object from outer space into and through the gases of an atmosphere of a planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite. There are two main types of atmospheric entry: ''uncontrolled entry'', such as the entr ...
tested by the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
in the mid-1960s. Unlike ASSET, primarily used for structural and heating research, the X-23A PRIME was developed to study the effects of maneuvering during re-entry of Earth's atmosphere, including cross-range maneuvers up to from the ballistic track.


Design

Each X-23A was constructed from titanium, beryllium,
stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's corros ...
, and aluminium. The craft consisted of two sections—the aft main structure and a removable forward "glove section". The structure was completely covered with a Martin-developed ablative
heat shield In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
thick, and the Nose cone, nose cap was constructed of Pyrolytic carbon, carbon Phenol formaldehyde resin, phenolic material. Aerodynamic control was provided by a pair of lower Flap (aircraft), flaps, and fixed upper flaps and Rudder#Aircraft rudders, rudders. A nitrogen-gas reaction control system was used outside the atmosphere. At Mach number, Mach 2 a drogue ballute deployed and slowed the vehicle's descent. As it deployed, its cable sliced the upper structure of the main equipment bay, allowing a recovery Parachute, chute to deploy. It would then be Mid-air retrieval, recovered in midair by a specially-equipped Lockheed C-130 Hercules, JC-130B Hercules aircraft.


Flight testing

The first PRIME vehicle was launched from Vandenberg AFB on 21 December 1966 atop an Atlas SLV-3 launch vehicle. This mission simulated a low Earth orbit reentry with a zero cross-range. The ballute deployed at , though the recovery parachute failed to completely deploy. The vehicle crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The second vehicle was launched on 5 March 1967. This flight simulated a 654-mile (1053-kilometre) cross-range reentry, and banking at hypersonic speeds. The recovery parachute deployed properly and was located by two of the deployed recovery aircraft. During an inspection fly-by of the descending parachute system it was seen that reefing cutters had failed to actuate. These cutters are on the harness suspending the vehicle from the parachute to ensure stability of the vehicle behind the JC-130B recovery aircraft during reel-in, and permit safely boarding the vehicle. As a result, the parachute and vehicle were allowed to descend to the sea. Subsequently, the vehicle separated from its flotation "balloon" in the rough seas and, with the parachute, sank before a nearby ship could arrive to retrieve it from the ocean. The final PRIME mission was flown on 19 April 1967, and simulated re-entry from low Earth orbit with a cross-range. This time, all systems performed perfectly, and the X-23A was successfully recovered. An inspection by a USAF-Martin team reported the craft "ready to fly again", although no later missions were carried out. The third X-23A is now on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.


Specifications (X-23A)


See also


References


External links


Encyclopedia AstronauticaVideo
Atlas X-38 Prototype Arrival (PRIME/X-23), Unloading, Mating and Launch {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin X-23 Prime United States military gliders Lifting bodies Spaceplanes 1960s United States experimental aircraft Unmanned aerial vehicles of the United States Martin aircraft, X-23 Aircraft first flown in 1966