credit: Lockheed Martin
Revolver
Or so an email from a Lockheed Martin Space Systems source tells me
Talking to Lockheed's Space Systems' advanced programmes director Al Simpson back in April he told me: "I'm holding the [vehicle's] name back for competitive reasons."
Revolver's scale-model has a 1.83m (6ft) wingspan and was test flown from the proposed site of New Mexico's spaceport America
Or so an email from a Lockheed Martin Space Systems source tells me
Talking to Lockheed's Space Systems' advanced programmes director Al Simpson back in April he told me: "I'm holding the [vehicle's] name back for competitive reasons."
Revolver's scale-model has a 1.83m (6ft) wingspan and was test flown from the proposed site of New Mexico's spaceport America
on June 19, 2008 10:19 PM | Reply
Scale model? Did your source tell you what scale it happened to be???
on June 20, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply
It is around one-fifth scale. That and other details are in the story I linked to with the hyperlink.
on June 20, 2008 6:43 PM | Reply
Duh, thanks. [sheepish grin]
What could they boost with a 30ft wingspan on a full-scale booster? 40ft long with maybe a 5-6ft wide payload fairing. Counting a second stage, not much left for payload.
If they air-launched it, could it be a competitor for Pegasus?
on June 21, 2008 12:45 AM | Reply
Held back the name of the vvehicle for competitive reasons? What do you want to bet the reason was so they could secure the music for the Marketing Video at a 'reasonable price'? ;)
on June 22, 2008 4:07 AM | Reply
I think the winged vehicle looks like a flyback booster for the Atlas V. I think the desigb looks nice. It could also be used for air-launching a vehicle, but it would have to be quite large to carry a decent payload. I believe it would be useful for the Atlas V rocket because the vehicle could fly back and be re-used and thus saving money. What I find strange about the design it reminds me of something I've seen before and I cannot remember exactly. It reminds of a design around 1999/2000 for a re-usable flyback booster.