Lifting entry vehicles offer significant potential in terms of performance and economy, as a result of reusability, for a variety of future space missions. In flight tests at the NASA Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, three vehicles--the M2-F2 (recently redesignated M2-F3), HL-10, and X-24A--are being used to investigate handling qualities and subsonic-transonic aerodynamics of lifting body vehicles.Flight results from approximately 50 flights of the vehicles indicate that a pilot can control, maneuver, flare, and land this class of vehicle. These flights have also provided valuable data on the aerodynamic behavior of the vehicles.
Lifting Body Flight Tests and Analysis
Sae Technical Papers
Aeronautic and Space Engineering and Manufacturing Meeting ; 1969
1969-02-01
Conference paper
English
Lifting body flight tests and analysis
NTRS | 1969
|NTRS | 1998
|AIAA | 1968
|Manned Lifting Body Flight Testing
NTIS | 1966
|Lifting-body flight test program.
NTRS | 1966
|