Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Rockwell X-30
The X-30 National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) was an attempt by the United States to create a viable single stage to orbit (SSTO) spacecraft. The project was cancelled prior to the first craft being built.
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Development
The craft was to be developed from a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project called Copper Canyon that ran from 1982 to 1985. President Ronald Regan refered to the NASP as "... a new Orient Express that could, by the end of the next decade, take off from Dulles Airport and accelerate up to twenty-five times the speed of sound, attaining low earth orbit or flying to Tokyo within two hours..." The program was cancelled due to massive cost and technical problems.
Specifications
Specifications (X-30 as designed)
General characteristics
- Crew:
- Capacity:
- Length: ft ( m)
- Wingspan: ft ( m)
- Height: ft ( m)
- Wing area: ft² ( m²)
- Empty: lbs ( kg)
- Loaded: lbs ( kg)
- Maximum takeoff: lbs ( kg)
- Powerplant: Engine type(s), lbf (kN) thrust
Performance
- Maximum speed: mph ( km/h)
- Range: miles ( km)
- Service ceiling: ft ( m)
- Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
- Wing loading: lbs/ft² ( kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight:
References
American X-Vehicles (.pdf)
External links
Photo archive of the X-30 mockup
Related content
Related development: X-43A
Comparable aircraft:
Designation sequence: X-27 - X-28 - X-29 - X-30 - X-31 - X-32 - X-33
See also:
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