The overall objective of the United States (US) National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) Program is to develop hypersonic technologies required for future military and Civilian aerospace plane systems to reduce payload cost to orbit and provide for flexible-responsive space operations. If successful, the NASP Program will be the stimulus for developing a whole new class of airbreathing hypersonic aircraft powered by clean-burning scramjet engines using liquid hydrogen as the primary fuel. As part of this development, the potential to cause environmental impacts from these type of vehicles must be considered and analyzed. This process has been initiated using the NASP Program's proposed X-30 flight research vehicle and flight test program as a basis for analysis. Environmental issues addressed include noise and sonic booms, stratospheric ozone depletion, public health and safety, hazardous materials/waste, air quality, biological and cultural resources, geology and soils, and water use. Although this study is not yet complete, preliminary analysis has determined that the X-30 vehicle and flight test program would have minimal environmental impact.


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    Title :

    Environmental Study of the National Aerospace Plane


    Contributors:
    C. Brown (author) / T. Wierzbanowski (author) / H. Reda (author) / G. T. Duecker (author)

    Publication date :

    1992


    Size :

    39 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English