North American Rockwell/General Dynamics Phase B Shuttle specs

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Donald McKelvy
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Well, from memory (I spend lots of hours on Lindroos website around 2002-2003)

The orbiter was as big as a 707 - current orbiter is more in league with a 737, 37*24m - because of internal tankage. Something like 50 m long for 30m span.
Payload was smaller - 12 000 kg - the year was 1969, and NASA had not yet called USAF to the rescue. Hence no delta wing, no 2000 km crossrange, no 30 000kg payload. Straight wing was Maxime Faget brainchild; it led to a "simpler" shuttle, kind of space DC-3.

Alas, reentry would have been troublesome; straight wings would have heated a lot, and worse, crosswinds at landing would have been a BIG problem.
The combination of low-crossrange plus cross wind sensibility = lots of difficulties when planing landing sites, hence more loitering needed in orbit before deciding reentry or not.

The booster was a monster. Kinf od A380 flying at X-15 speeds. 2000+ tons, twelve to sixteen SSMEs -depending from the contractor. 80m long, 40m span.

Cross range of Faget straight-wing shuttle and booster was around 700km. Delta wing was beyond 2000 km.


Footnote: this book is fantastic. http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4221/sp4221.htm

An excellent complement to Lindroos website.
 
Here is a picture of a model of a space shuttle project by North American / Rockwell and General Dynamics / Convair, exhibited at Le Bourget 1971 salon, from Aviation Magazine 565.
I'm not sure this is the right thread to post this image, moderators feel free to move it if you feel it appropriate.
Adrien
 

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Wind tunnel model from http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19760753000

deliveryService

deliveryService
 

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