Mi s sile s/Spac e Inte rview
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October l96t
To get back to the Mach 4.zs and Mach l0 aircraft, what kind of
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our studies indicate that airplanes with projected fueled propulsion systems wouldntt rneet the tesired chemical of extreme range without introducing the compricated requirement staging. The solution, we feel., to l-ong-r"ogJ aircraftcolcept of the atmosphere 1ies with nuclear power. In the Mach flying witJrin 4,25 version, two nuclear rarrrjets would Power it during cruise with system used for take-off and. three auxilialy units for an auxiliary boost randing. The crew would 6e in a compartrnent shielded from tJre reactor, t&e electronics and armament payload.
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rn the Mach r0 model where rong-range is not a reguirement, we combine conventionar. ramjet and turbojet power prants, latter being used for take-off, landing and aciel.eration to the Mach 3, when the ramjets take over.
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rt appears to be feasible to,solve the high temperature problem by flying at high artitudes to reduce the heating rate and a rnulti-layet st-ructure with high temperatur.:iosulated. by designing by radiation. w'e are arso considering other techniques skin cooled be applied during transients such as tlanspiraiio'coolingwhich would and -----'6 e'ru ablation technigues. Do we face anv rnaterials lac
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No, I do not think so. Io my o-pinion, our present structural engineering aad rrretaliurgy, t"g.ir., withknowledge -of the technological' advances that appear to b. comlrrg, #ould be sufficient to maintain our progresse r donrt mean to minimize the problem -much work remains to be done -- but it is wer.r within tl,e reakn of technical achievernentn
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