Japanese NAL hypersonic spaceplane

[hesham]

Hi,

the NAL designed in 1990 a hypersonic spaceplane,it was
look like some USA hypersonic aircraft.
http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1990/1990%20-%201252.html

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%200937.html

 

[Triton]

Japan's National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) was conducting research for a possible future Japanese aero-spaceplane.

Power plant: LACE (liquified air-cycle engine) for low speeds and in vacuum (operation as a rocket engine in vacuum); scramjet for high-speed within Earth atmosphere.

Accomodation: Capacity for 10 persons

Specifications:

Length overall: approx. 94.0m (308 ft.)
Fuselage weight: approx. 110,000 kg (242,500 lb)
Max-T-O weight: approx. 350,00 kg (771,625 lb)

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1995-1996

 

[Triton]

Artist's concepts of NAL hypersonic spaceplane configurations.

Source: http://spacegizmo.livingdazed.com/?cat=14

 

[ozmosis]

Blackkite posted a few model images of the Mitsubishi Spaceplane

2 entries with brief info from Astronautix here on the Mitsubishi design here and here

And I'll include below a few images I have found:

 

[ozmosis]

Re: Mitsubishi Japanese Space Plane

NASDA Spaceplane concept

 

[Stargazer]

A very interesting report on Japan's hypersonic SSTO/TSTO Aerospace Plane research (from NAL, but also from Fuji, Kawasaki and Mitsubishi, see attachment):

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a241641.pdf

 

[hesham]

Great find my dear Stargazer.

 

[flateric]

...

 

[Tuomasn]

Isn't the main image actually of the McDonnell-Douglas Orient Express.

 

[starviking]

Isn't the main image actually of the McDonnell-Douglas Orient Express.

To my eye it is. I guess the magazine editor wanted a nice pic for the title page, and a touched-up NASP did the job...

 

[Tuomasn]

Isn't the main image actually of the McDonnell-Douglas Orient Express.

To my eye it is. I guess the magazine editor wanted a nice pic for the title page, and a touched-up NASP did the job...

Ha! Found the original: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,250.msg1492.html#msg1492. It looks like the magazine artist just altered the color scheme a bit, even the background matches.

And thanks for posting this, flateric!

 

[Michel Van]

the Picture source say: Archive, Hildebrand
aka the McDonnell-Douglas Orient Express artwork modified by the Illustrator of Flug Revue

On Text, in begin the author Helga L. Hildebrand
about Japans join race for a SSTO similar to US NASP maybe with collaboration of US Industry
Because Japan Aerospace industry missing basic knowledge ofSonic and Hypersonic Aircraft

next of High stake Japanese Space Plans of own Space Station with cheap SSTO, that also to be used as SST
it's not surprise that the SSTO show likeness to NASP but also Japan look for collaboration on NASP
NASP Program Director Robert R. Barthelemy was on Visti to Japan to see this matter.

Japanese National Aerospace Laboratory NAL making R&D on this project

Basic version a 350.8 metric tons aircraft that bring 4 men and cargo into 700 km high orbit, whit help of Air-breading and Rocket engine.
is 65 meter long, 18.92 mete high, wingspan 24.68 meter. with Canard wings on front.
as engine it has six Scream Jets and three rocket engines using 80 metric tons liquid hydrogen and 164 metric tons liquid oxygen
next NASP like was also Sanger like TSTO study but concentrating on SSTO it prototype should be ready to fly in 2006.

Kawasaki heavy Industry version looks more like Concorde
is 66 meter long, 13.8 meter high, wingspan 30 meter.

Mitsubish version
is 86.8 meter long, 19.2 meter high, wingspan 25.23 meter.

Fuji version
is 75 meter long, ?? meter high, wingspan 25 meter.
using six ATR air Turbo Ramjets and one rocket engine

but to reach that Prototype the Industry proposed NAL a smaller research aircraft for Mach 7, max flight hight of 172 Km.
crew of 2 men with two jet engine and two Rocket engine

Kawasaki heavy Industry version
is 26.39 meter long, 9.23 meter high, wingspan 11.5 meter. 40 metric tons takeoff weight
using three engine

Mitsubish version is more a Mach 7 Interceptor
is 22.8 meter long, 7.3 meter high, wingspan 10.26 meter.

Fuji version Concorde like aircraft.
is 35.25 meter long, 6.9 meter high, wingspan 14 meter. 50 metric tons takeoff weight

the Japanese space plane is four phase program
were first phase was from 1986 to 1989 was finance by Japanese Government
But biggest problem is there is no money for program phase two to four
the Japanese Government not public funded the Program since 1989
only MITI put research money into Hypersonic Jet engines and Material R&D around 3 million US dollar
what missing on Program are Vital installation for R&D on engine and new materials testing and hypersonic wind tunnel.
NAL hope that HOPE serve as research glider for Hypersonic speeds...

 

[hesham]

...

Hi,

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19881010/21/2
http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19881010/22/2

 

[hesham]

I never saw like this Before;

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19911216/32/2

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19860721/47/2

 

[blackkite]

Hi!

 

[flateric]

...

 

[woods170]

Blackkite posted a few model images of the Mitsubishi Spaceplane

2 entries with brief info from Astronautix here on the Mitsubishi design here and here

And I'll include below a few images I have found:

I'm digging through more Japanese space plane images from the NRM archives, and ran into a PR/information flyer from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the NAL space plane. It has a nice image on the front, but the backside holds the more interesting details. See the attached images.