Nuclear Powered Aircraft Projects

Spring · 7 July 2008

Would be interesting if somebody shows a RAD table to compare the radiation between Pu-288 and Sr-90 or Cb-60, i think cobalt or strontium have better values than Pu (used on cassini), but then..im not nuclear engineer

The cassini generator use some kind of direct transformation from heat to electricity, not sure how could perform with a conventional mechanical cycle (stirling, since it seems the temperature is not high enough to use water/steam)

Orionblamblam · 8 July 2008

Nuke bomber miscellany, now with some labels.

mboeller · 12 July 2008

Orionblamblam said:
fightingirish said:

5 years ago, there was a discussion about a "quantum nucleonic reactor powered Global Hawk".
Source: New Scientist - 19th February 2003 - Nuclear-powered drone aircraft on drawing board

Click to expand...

It's a pity that the hafnium isomer nuclear battery concept turned out to be bunk. It's a neat neat... zap a hafnium isomer with Xrays and the isomer will release up to 60 times the energy; shut the Xrays off and the reaction stops, and you're left with a *non*radioactive chunk of metal. Tur the Xrays back on and it starts up again. A wonderful concept. That nobody was able to replicate. Sigh... more "cold fusion."

The Air Force institute of technology had released even 2 PDFs about a hafnium178 powered Global Hawk UAV:

Link: https://research.maxwell.af.mil/papers/ay2002/afit/afit-gae-eny-02-6.pdf

The other study "afit-gae-eny-01m-04.pdf" seems to be no longer available.

amsci99 · 13 July 2008

Scott,

Would the hafnium-isomer powerpant proposed by the Popular Mechanics article be practical under real world considerations?

Orionblamblam · 13 July 2008

If they worked. But last I heard, they don't. One laboratory claiemd to get more energy out than was put in; nobody was able to replicate that.

*IF* the system worked, then it'd be useful for all kinds of things, down to and including "atomic" cars. It'd be easily shielded, would not activate surrounding materials, has a good power to weight ratio, and once shut off stops radiating entirely. The tiny little problem seems to be that it just doesn't work.

hesham · 2 December 2008

Hi,

the Northrop nuclear-powered flying wing of 1956.
http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/NorthropNuclear-PoweredFlyingWingCataloguePage.htm

hole in the ground · 2 December 2008

Love the assymetric one

hesham · 9 January 2009

A 6000-ton nuclear powered aircraft,I think it was from Lockheed design.
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19710028801_1971028801.pdf

hesham · 9 January 2009

Hi,

anther nuclear powered aircraft;
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19720063063_1972063063.pdf

Michel Van · 9 January 2009

hesham said:
A 6000-ton nuclear powered aircraft,I think it was from Lockheed design.
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19710028801_1971028801.pdf

that ls a Lockheed design

agricola64 · 9 January 2009

supposedly there was a soviet nuclear powered aircraft, based on a Bear bomber ..

there are lots of conflicting stories if that aircraft ever flew - some even state that it flew under nuclear power, but the crew dies later due to radiation injuries ..

is there any definite information source on this?

Antonio · 9 January 2009

supposedly there was a soviet nuclear powered aircraft, based on a Bear bomber

Tu-95LAL and Tu-119

agricola64 · 9 January 2009

pometablava said:
supposedly there was a soviet nuclear powered aircraft, based on a Bear bomber

Click to expand...

Tu-95LAL and Tu-119

yes .. but did it ever fly - on nuclear power ..?

i can find everything from: it never flew to it flew with conventinal engines (like the US counterpart) to it flew on nuclear power ..

borovik · 9 January 2009

Tu-95 LAL - from May to August 1961 was met with 34 flights operating reactors.
Tu-119 - still at the stage of the project. In the late 60's all work on this topic have been halted due to the changing concept.
Source: V.Eger "Unknown TUPOLEV"

agricola64 · 9 January 2009

borovik said:
Tu-95 LAL - from May to August 1961 was met with 34 flights operating reactors.

just with operating reactor .. no propulsion (like the US counterpart, where the reactor was operated, but never delivered any thrust to the aircraft)

or

actually nuclear powered propulsion ..

blackkite · 9 January 2009

Hi! I find this drawing from Japanese AIREVIEW magazine in June 1970.
This was a Lockheed designed nuclear transport. Passengers were 600 and the speed was transonic.
Does anyone know the detail of this transport?

hesham · 10 January 2009

Hi,

a nuclear powered logistic airplane.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19630010644_1963010644.pdf

Wembley · 10 January 2009

"Would the hafnium-isomer powerpant proposed by the Popular Mechanics article be practical under real world considerations?"

There were a lot of scientists who poh-poohed the isomer triggering idea as a sourve of nuclear energy, DARPA canceled their program and it seemed to disappear.
However, the latest is that, against all expectation, DARPA's make-or-break test showed that it works http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/08/isomer-bombs-re.html

However, there's a big catch: the isomer they used, Hafnium 178m2, is extremely expensive, and it's unlikely to be used for anything other than very small niche applications such as untended sensors.

Orionblamblam · 10 January 2009

I note that the article is based on hearsay, and claims that while all the white-world public tests showed the idea didn't pan out, the Super Secret DARPA Test showed amazing success.

Color me skeptical.

Matej · 14 January 2009

agricola64 said:
just with operating reactor .. no propulsion (like the US counterpart, where the reactor was operated, but never delivered any thrust to the aircraft)

or

actually nuclear powered propulsion ..

Considering the all availabe information - the first choice. Just flight with the turned on reactor, but without any connection to the propulsion system.

Michel Van · 14 January 2009

ehhh that picture Tu-95LAL

is that the nuclear Reactor ?
FALLEN OUT THE AIRCRAFT ?!

or is this Soviet maintenance ???

flateric · 14 January 2009

nope. this is scrapping days.

ucon · 14 January 2009

Hi all!
Let me join this subject.
In Myasishchev DB nuclear aircraft programme included 4 aircraft:
- on base 3M;
- on base M-50;
- M-30 (some variants);
- M-60 (some variants).
Below are three variants. Detailed info will be in Unknown Myasishchev's aircraft
and in www.avicopress.ru
Regards

Antonio · 14 January 2009

Ucon, would you please re-post the M-60 attachement. It can't be seen in full size...something went wrong.

Many thanks,

Antonio

hesham · 27 January 2009

Hi,

http://www.fabiofeminofantascience.org/RETROFUTURE/RETROFUTURE5.html

Wembley · 28 January 2009

Orionblamblam said:
I note that the article is based on hearsay, and claims that while all the white-world public tests showed the idea didn't pan out, the Super Secret DARPA Test showed amazing success.

Color me skeptical.

That's not exactly true...a number of the white world tests did come out positive - check out Collins site - but there was a lot of politics involved.

Isomer research continues at the DTRA, the US Navy (who still think it can be used for warheads) and the Army (who are only planning to use it for atomic batteries). And, allegedly, at Other Places.

moin1900 · 2 March 2009

Here some nice pictures and drawings
http://pro.corbis.com/
For example
Northrop nuclear-powered bomber
http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid=%7BC2991B34-6668-4399-974A-AFDECEC368CB%7D
There are also pictures of atomic airships.
Many greetings

hesham · 27 April 2009

Hi,

I spoke before about those hypothetical projects here;
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3435.0/highlight,1952+2830.html
But I forgot this Atomic-powered flying boat.

JJC · 3 May 2009

NB-36 ???

Jemiba · 17 May 2009

This drawing is just shown here, to prevent anybody else to take it as
a real project, if designated so elsewhere. It really looks good and the
idea, to build the whole cockpit section as a detachable boat seems to
be quite a good one, but ... the whole thing is just the idea of the crew
of the french "L'Air" magazine, where I find it in an 1960 issue.

hesham · 30 June 2009

Hi,

it is the first time in my life to see like this.
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19780021103_1978021103.pdf

lark · 30 June 2009

I have seen this one before in an old Czech magazine. (L & K)
As far as I remember it was labelled as a Lockheed nuclear powered aerial tanker...

Stargazer · 16 August 2009

I have found an interesting project on the web and I really would like to know from which company the design originated. Here is the accompanying text:

"One idea for an operational nuclear-powered aircraft involved detachable reactor modules that could be replaced as needed. In this artist's conception, the pilots were in the section forming part of the tail, which could be detached in cases of emergency."

Picture © U.S. Air Force

Source: http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/anp.aspx

Triton · 17 August 2009

I wonder what the letters "US-AS" mean on the top right wing and the top of the reactor pod? At first glance, I thought that the original artwork was damaged and it was meant to say "USAF" when I first saw the art on Retrofuture. Thoughts on what this might be? A fanciful United States Atomic Service perhaps? Yet another example of 1950s exuberance for the wonderful world of tomorrow based on the mighty atom?

Stargazer · 17 August 2009

I had noticed it and came to the same conclusion "Atomic Service" !

Matej · 17 August 2009

Stargazer2006 said:
I have found an interesting project on the web and I really would like to know from which company the design originated.

It is not necessary that it should be a company. Probably some sort of generic study, done by USAF or another governmental owned institution. I saw this concept for the first time in JC Carbonel web. For the link, see the reply no.20 in this topic.

joncarrfarrelly · 17 August 2009

Stargazer2006 said:
I have found an interesting project on the web and I really would like to know from which company the design originated. Here is the accompanying text:

Popular Mechanics, I have the issue with the article.
Concept of Lee Ohlinger of Northrop.
Here it is on Google Books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=PeEDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Go to page 100.

Stargazer · 17 August 2009

Excellent! Thank you for such a speedy response!
It's quite an original design, but the article doesn't say if it's Ohlinger's work as an aside or if it's a Northrop endorsed project... Anyway, from the link you provided I was able to capture three enlarged images of the selfsame project. Thanks again!

hesham · 3 October 2009

Hi,

a nuclear airliner;
http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vault/Nuclear_Airliner.jpg

Stargazer · 3 October 2009

Interestingly, the nuclear airliner was called "Aurora"... as seen on its tail. I know it was also the name of the kit model company, but still...

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