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

 

[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

 

[Stargazer2006]

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.