X-23 PRIME
| X-23 PRIME | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Preserved X-23 PRIME at USAF Museum, Dayton, Ohio | |
| Role | Lifting body |
| Manufacturer | Martin Marietta |
| First flight | 21 December 1966 |
| Retired | 19 April 1967 |
| Status | Out of service |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 3 |
| Variants | Martin Marietta X-24A |
The Martin X-23A PRIME (Precision Reentry Including Maneuvering reEntry) was a small lifting-body re-entry vehicle tested by the United States Air Force in the mid-1960s. Unlike ASSET, primarily used for structural and heating research, the X-23 PRIME was developed to study the effects of maneuvering during re-entry of Earth's atmosphere, including cross-range maneuvers up to 710 statute miles (1143 km) from the ballistic track.
Each X-23 was constructed from titanium, beryllium, stainless steel, 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 20 to 70 mm (¾ to 2¾ inches) thick, and the nose cap was constructed of carbon phenolic material.
Aerodynamic control was provided by a pair of 12-inch (30 cm) square lower flaps, and fixed upper flaps and rudders. A nitrogen-gas reaction control system was used outside the atmosphere. At 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 47-foot (16.4 m) recovery chute to deploy. It would then be recovered in midair by a specially-equipped JC-130B Hercules aircraft.
...
Wikipedia