The Radioacive Alternative to the X-15 - Faster, Higher, Cheaper. The Douglas D-684

Summary The competition for the first space plane was won by a missile designer and new comer to the X-plane program, North American, with its X-15 design. It beat out the Navy's historical designer Douglas which proposed a design using a light weight magnesium alloy containing radioactive thorium that would stay cooler during the aircraft's brief atmospheric reentry. Ironically, although the Douglas design better fit the specification it lost out because follow on projects would more severally test the heat resistance of air/spacecraft and X-15 would be a better precursor to them.

SUnknownThe Radioacive Alternative to the X-15 - Faster, Higher, Cheaper. The Douglas D-684

Directed : Unknown

Written : Unknown

Stars : Scott Manley

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Details

Genres : Documentary News

Release date : Dec 27, 2018

Countries of origin : United States

Official sites : Official YouTube channel

Language : English

Summary The competition for the first space plane was won by a missile designer and new comer to the X-plane program, North American, with its X-15 design. It beat out the Navy's historical designer Douglas which proposed a design using a light weight magnesium alloy containing radioactive thorium that would stay cooler during the aircraft's brief atmospheric reentry. Ironically, although the Douglas design better fit the specification it lost out because follow on projects would more severally test the heat resistance of air/spacecraft and X-15 would be a better precursor to them.

Details

Genres : Documentary News

Release date : Dec 27, 2018

Countries of origin : United States

Official sites : Official YouTube channel

Language : English

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