X-24B (original) (raw)

X-24BCredit - NASA

Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Destination: Suborbital. Nation: USA. Manufacturer: Martin.

The X-24B was used by the US Air Force to explore the supersonic and subsonic handling characteristics of the FDL-7 and FDL-8 hypersonic configurations which promised to double the hypersonic L/D ratio of the original X-24A. It was air dropped from the NB-52 carrier aircraft and reached Mach 1.76 and 22,400 m altitude during its test program. By the time the test series had started the USAF had been forced to accept the NASA space shuttle for its future manned space ambitions and had dropped plans for a Titan-launched manned spaceplane.

The configuration was also applicable to air-breathing hypersonic aircraft. NASA and USAF proposed an X-24C, which would have been two new-build vehicles. These would have the XLR-99 engine from the X-15 and take the configuration out to Mach 8 and conducted scramjet tests in 200 flights. This follow-on project was cancelled for lack of funds (or replaced by a black project with Lockheed).

Length: 11.43 m (37.49 ft). Maximum Diameter: 5.84 m (19.16 ft). Span: 5.84 m (19.16 ft). Mass: 6,258 kg (13,796 lb). Main Engine: XLR-11. Main Engine Thrust: 43.580 kN (9,797 lbf). Main Engine Propellants: Lox/Alcohol. Main Engine Propellants: 2,480 kg (5,460 lb). Main Engine Isp: 225 sec. Backup Main Engine Thrust: 4.452 kN (1,001 lbf). L/D Hypersonic: 2.95. Spacecraft delta v: 1,300 m/s (4,200 ft/sec). Electrical System: Batteries. Battery: 194.00 Ah.

X-24B Chronology

• 1973 August 1 - X-24 Flight 29 - Crew: Manke.
  First glide flight. Maximum Speed - 740 kph. Maximum Altitude - 12190 m. Flight Time - 252 sec.
• 1973 August 17 - X-24 Flight 30 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 722 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 267 sec.
• 1973 August 31 - X-24 Flight 31 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 771 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 277 sec.
• 1973 September 18 - X-24 Flight 32 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 271 sec.
• 1973 October 4 - X-24 Flight 33 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 732 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 279 sec.
• 1973 November 15 - X-24 Flight 34 - Crew: Manke.
  First power flight. Maximum Speed - 961 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16080 m. Flight Time - 404 sec.
• 1973 December 12 - X-24 Flight 35 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1038 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19080 m. Flight Time - 434 sec.
• 1974 February 15 - X-24 Flight 36 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 307 sec.
• 1974 March 5 - X-24 Flight 37 - Crew: Manke.
  First supersonic flight. Maximum Speed - 1139 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18390 m. Flight Time - 437 sec.
• 1974 April 30 - X-24 Flight 38 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 930 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15860 m. Flight Time - 419 sec.
• 1974 May 24 - X-24 Flight 39 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1212 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17060 m. Flight Time - 448 sec.
• 1974 June 14 - X-24 Flight 40 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1303 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19970 m. Flight Time - 405 sec.
• 1974 June 28 - X-24 Flight 41 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1480 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20770 m. Flight Time - 427 sec.
• 1974 August 8 - X-24 Flight 42 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1644 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22370 m. Flight Time - 395 sec.
• 1974 August 29 - X-24 Flight 43 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1170 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22080 m. Flight Time - 467 sec.
• 1974 October 25 - X-24 Flight 44 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Max. speed flight. Maximum Speed - 1873 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21990 m. Flight Time - 417 sec.
• 1974 November 15 - X-24 Flight 45 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1722 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21960 m. Flight Time - 481 sec.
• 1974 December 17 - X-24 Flight 46 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1667 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20960 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.
• 1975 January 14 - X-24 Flight 47 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1862 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22180 m. Flight Time - 477 sec.
• 1975 March 20 - X-24 Flight 48 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1537 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21450 m. Flight Time - 409 sec.
• 1975 April 18 - X-24 Flight 49 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1279 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17650 m. Flight Time - 450 sec.
• 1975 May 6 - X-24 Flight 50 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1541 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22370 m. Flight Time - 448 sec.
• 1975 May 22 - X-24 Flight 51 - Crew: Manke.
  Max. altitude. Maximum Speed - 1744 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22370 m. Flight Time - 461 sec.
• 1975 June 6 - X-24 Flight 52 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1786 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21980 m. Flight Time - 474 sec.
• 1975 June 25 - X-24 Flight 53 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1427 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17680 m. Flight Time - 426 sec.
• 1975 July 15 - X-24 Flight 54 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1685 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21180 m. Flight Time - 415 sec.
• 1975 August 5 - X-24 Flight 55 - Crew: Manke.
  Maximum Speed - 1381 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18290 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.
• 1975 August 20 - X-24 Flight 56 - Crew: Love Michael.
  Maximum Speed - 1625 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21950 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.
• 1975 September 9 - X-24 Flight 57 - Crew: Dana.
  Maximum Speed - 1593 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21640 m. Flight Time - 435 sec.
• 1975 September 23 - X-24 Flight 58 - Crew: Dana.
  Last rocket-powered flight. Maximum Speed - 1255 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17680 m. Flight Time - 438 sec.
• 1975 October 9 - X-24 Flight 59 - Crew: Enevoldson.
  Maximum Speed - 724 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 251 sec.
• 1975 October 21 - X-24 Flight 60 - Crew: Scobee.
  Maximum Speed - 743 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 255 sec.
• 1975 November 3 - X-24 Flight 61 - Crew: McMurtry.
  Maximum Speed - 734 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 248 sec.
• 1975 November 12 - X-24 Flight 62 - Crew: Enevoldson.
  Maximum Speed - 734 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 241 sec.
• 1975 November 19 - X-24 Flight 63 - Crew: Scobee.
  Maximum Speed - 740 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 249 sec.
• 1975 November 26 - X-24 Flight 64 - Crew: McMurtry.
  Maximum Speed - 740 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 245 sec.

Bibliography:

• Miller, Jay,, The X-Planes, Aerofax, Arlington, Texas, 1988.
• Miller, Ron, The Dream Machines, Krieger, Malabar, Florida, 1993.
• Zhelyez x-plane book,
• Houchin II, Roy and Smith, Terry, Quest, "X-20 (7 articles)", 1994, Volume 3, Issue 4, page 4.
• Peebles, Curtis, Spaceflight, "The Origins of the US Space Shuttle - 1", 1979, Volume 21, page 435.

Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments.

Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site..
To contact astronauts or cosmonauts.

© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.

X-24BCredit- © Mark Wade

Lifting BodiesLifting Bodies Comparative...Credit- © Mark WadeLifting Bodies Comparative

Lifting BodiesLifting Body comparison...Credit- © Mark WadeLifting Body comparison

FDL SpaceplaneCredit- USAF