Northrop N-205 Space Trainer

[Jemiba]

Found in "The Aeroplane" April 1959, a sketch of the N-205 space trainer, which
was intended to be launched vertically.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Very interesting - note three exhaust plumes as well.

Thanks! Mark

 

[Orionblamblam]

THANKS! I've been looking for a sketch or drawing of this thing for *years.* I've seen text descriptions, but this is the first graphic depiction I've seen.

 

[Jemiba]

Actually I was a little bit sceptical at first, if it wasn't just that years April fool, but I couldn't find
any clue for that in the following issues (although, as usual sevearl pages were missing due to
the "interest" of other readers ! )
Atatched is the whole article, sorry for the quality, it's just a photo.

 

[Barrington Bond]

Been meaning to post that for ages and Im sure I've seen it elsewhere.

Regards,
Barry

 

[Stargazer]

Jens, your file has a typo, it should read "N-205", not "N-250".

The Space Trainer was no April fool. I have in my list as the N-205B, a planned T-38 derivative with a maximum altitude of 50 miles and a top speed in excess of Mach 3. However, I wonder if the "B" suffix implies there were several different configurations studied.

 

[Stargazer]

Sorry for the typo.
In fact it was your list, that made me feel confident, that it was really a Northrop project.

I believe that N-205B was the final configuration for the project. Here is a nice scale model of it done by a Japanese modelmaker.

 

[Stargazer]

Taken and translated from an article dated November 12, 1959:

Northrop is currently working in secret on a third embodiment of the T-38 aircraft, equipped with three rocket engines in the tail. This aircraft is called the Northrop "Space Trainer" and was specifically designed to train future space pilots, such as the pilots of the X-15 rocket plane.

The three rockets have enough fuel to work for about 90 minutes. In those 90 minutes, however, they will take the plane to a dizzying height. The Space Trainer would take off almost vertically from a rail system. According to the Los Angeles Times, which reported about the existence of the Space Trainer for the first time, the Pentagon needs 30-40 examples of this Space Trainer in the near future to train U.S. space pilots.

Whether this device will really be built is not known.

Utrechts Nieuwsblad, Thursday, November 12, 1959

Source: http://www.hetutrechtsarchief.nl/collectie/kranten/un/1959/1112

 

[Orionblamblam]

The three rockets have enough fuel to work for about 90 minutes.

Ninety *minutes?* Surely they meant ninety *seconds...*

And don't call me Shirley.

 

[fightingirish]

Tony Chong - Talons in Space: Northrop's N-205 Proposal B)

 

[Stargazer]

This is amazing stuff. Thumbs up to Tony Chong for sharing this!

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Please don't post all the images from Tony Chong's articles here - read them online at:




http://ghostmodeler.blogspot.com

 

[Steve Pace]

My official NORAIR PROJECT DESIGNATIONS list from Northrop many years ago shows only that N-205 was a T-38 Boost Glide Study. -SP

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Any word as to what engine would have been used?

 

[fightingirish]

Any word as to what engine would have been used?

[...]Powered by three Rocketdyne AR-4 rocket motors in place of the two General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojets, the rockets would generate a total of 33,000 lbs. of sea-level thrust using a 90% hydrogen peroxide, 10% JP-5 jet fuel mixture. [...]