Bomiwriter says greetings.
Since this is my top priority project I just gotta speak up too.
Dining Soar; It was Abbreviated Development Plan System 464L deveoped by a now deceased friend Mr. William Walter. It described the overall DS project but stipulated...a research glider-Dyna Soar I, an intermediate military applications test glider Dyna Soar II and the Dyna Soar III a supposedly full operational military vehicle, a one-man glider for the initial reconnaissance mission and some orbital bombardment missions.
The Boeing initial Model 814-1010 was presented with a rear section able to house various suites for...hullo, military missions, despite the ADP and project Card describing DS I as a research vehicle. I do have the presentation material and drawings and they will appear in my latest QUEST article on Cold War U.S. Space Weapons (not the real title). Boeing's presentation booklets presented or reminded the USAF that for example, the next Model...814-2050-1 (the Dyna Soar competition winner), had between 75-90 cubic foot area in which "military payloads" may be inserted for reconnaissance, missions, and that external pods could be attached to the upper rear fuselage if necessary. The next and production bird was Model 844-2050E that was not at all finalized but became the production vehicle, also had a 90 cubic feet area that had equipment in it, but...but, 75 cubic feet it too, was available for military missions, again, despite the 844-2050E being a "research" boost-glider.
Martin & Martin-Bell also offered an expanded reconnaissance and bombardment or orbital bomber Dyna Soar derived from their April, 1959 model that lost to Boeing.
Then, we have Republic who offered the exact same glider design for DS I, DS II and DS III, all displaying a nuclear tipped reentry missile attached to the spine. So what does all this mean?
Despite the initial Dyna Soar gliders being "research" or proof-of-concept birds, two firms from the get-go, even though Martin-Bell generated a separate presentation booklet on their DS I, with expanded reconnaissance and orbital bombardment versions but Boeing always left open the offer of USAF military roles if somewhat limited by the small holds of 75-90 cubic feet.
One would easily overlook this point unless intently focused upon the wording in the presentations offered. And it all says the same thing...room could be made for a military camera system, radar, or infrared system if it could be jam packed into that small space, and with a modified belly hatch and could perform a basic military mission once a man-rated booster was avaiable.
I expect this may clarify some points and perhaps Orionblaster will back me on this. To reiterate, the wording of the presentations, because during the project's time period, somebody behind closed doors AF Staff), was discussing something very little has been revealed. A military space force composed of numerous vehicles, robot sats, bomb platforms, resupply lifting body & boost-glide variety, reconn gliders, decoy orbital and reentry bomb gliders, etc.
Phew...what a project had it become operational, but then there's "Mac the knife." I often wonderd just who he really was and who he actually worked for...having cancelled most every project the USAF wanted to build and enter space to operate. I'm gone and good fortunes to all.
Bomiwriter