united states air force

yes the DoD used Shuttle for several Mission like: (STS-4, STS-51-C, STS-51-J, STS-27, STS-28, STS-33, STS-36, STS-38, STS-39) but there was more at Vandenberg Air Force Base, they build a Shuttle launch pad on Space Launch Complex 6 and the north runway and overruns were lengthened for...

In the late 1980s, the USAF reassessed its training missions. The aging T-37s and T-38s could not be refurbished and uphauled indefinitely, and so new specifications were to be drafted. JPATS would provide a primary trainer for future pilots; and TTTS would provide a platform for future tanker...

From what appears to be a book abstract by Maurice F. Crommie. His website has this in his resume Dec 1962 - Sept 1971 Consulting Engineer, Senior Scientist and Project Leader in strategic nuclear weapon design at General Electric, McDonald Douglas, Stanford Research Institute, Conductron...

I couldn't find anything already posted about this, but there's an auction on eBay for a pic of this 4 seater buckeye prototype. Can't really tell much, but see for yourselves...

While searching the NTRS for information on subsonic airliner designs, I found what seems to be the last nuclear powered aircraft proposal. It was a hybrid aircraft using conventional fuel for take off and then transitioning to nuclear power at cruising speed/altitude See: 1. Preliminary...

...Dear God/Yahweh/Roddenberry, the Air Farce really *did* test cats in zero-g :o :o :o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9XtK6R1QAk&feature=relmfu

Hello. I hope everyone is well. I'm on the ear-'ole for some info about the above. Nothing appears when I search online (I am aware there may not be a great deal of info existing so my hopes were far from high) all I have to go on is what is on PP 87-88 of Tony Buttlers latest American Secret...

The space shuttle project thread, http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1928.0, had a brief discussion of ideas to put passenger modules in the cargo bay. I thought it might be interesting to try and capture some more details in a separate thread. I believe some concepts were...

Very sketchy and incomplete! DM-14 - Nike-Hercules DM-15 -- Nike Zeus A? (sketchy) DM-15S --NIKE-ZEUS ASAT DM-15X2 -- Nike-EX. On 1 JAN 1967, was redesignated SPARTAN. DM-18 -- Thor DM-18A -- Thor Agena A? DM-19 -- Thor Delta? DM-20 -- Skybolt DM-21 -- Thor Agena B?

Searching for some stuff I found this photo - it shows the big drilling machine in USAF markings, apparently used for building some underground support facilities. Not an usual USAF vehicle, isn't it? ;) http://www.skyshipsovercashiers.com/secretfacilities.htm

McDonnell Douglas' "Big Gemini" transport spacecraft is now available in the Fantastic Plastic Virtual Museum Store: http://fantastic-plastic.com/BigGeminiCatalogPage.htm This meticulously detailed 1:48 kit was mastered by Paul Roberts based on extensive documentation, and cast by BLAP...

Lockheed Martin and Skunk Works unveiled a concept of medium-altitude /long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called "Multi purpose long endurance" (MPLE) at the AUVSI yesterday. Links: http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2010/08/auvsi-skunk-works-unveils-medi.html...

ASPEN BACKGROUND In the 1950s and 1960s, many potential uses of nuclear power were explored, such as NTRs. An NTR uses a nuclear reactor to heat a working fluid, such as hydrogen, and exhaust this fluid in a nozzle for thrust. Many studies of this technology were conducted, and prototypes were...

Photograph of Lockheed L-300, a civilian version of the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. Source: http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=34

Relevant to current interest in high altitude http://www.atf3.org/Ryan_Compass_Cope_2.html

old AWST article found at eBay

The following "article" is adapted from RyanCrierie (on another forum) and Andreas Parsch (on his website). Known contenders to the U.S. Navy BDM proposal were as follows: Admiral-Beech PD-111/-1 Avion (ACF) Bendix Bell 69 Emerson Grumman G-143 Bushfire Motorola Sperry Gyroscope SMD-109...

Giant...V-shaped...blimp... (who said Phoenix Lights?) Seems topical at the moment: (aka 'Ascender') Lowering the High Ground: Using Near-Space Vehicles for Persistent ISR (a Thesis): www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cst/bugs_ch04.pdf TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF LOITERING LIGHTER-THAN-AIR...