NASA Trailblazer Reference Vehicle

[hesham]

Hi,

http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/1999/TM-1999-209185.pdf

 

[hesham]

Hi,

Trailblazer is a Rocket Based Combined Cycle spacecraft concept under investigation at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The program goals are two-fold: to develop and demonstrate Airbreathing Launch Vehicle technologies for the 21st century. These technologies will pave the way for a dramatic cost reduction of access to space using Single Stage to Orbit spacecraft.
http://www-psao.grc.nasa.gov/concentration/about.html

 

[OM]

...Anyone else thinking Colonial Viper MK II here, kids?

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

So say we all!

 

[sferrin]

Some of the stuff on that page has been dead for years. What is the status of this project?

 

[Tuomasn]

I'm quite sure it has joined the long list of NASA hypersonic/SSTO programs that didn't really go anywhere.

As a sidenote, in case anyone would like to try it out himself, there is a well done (both visually and technically, with its combination engine) model available for the free Orbiter space flight simulator (http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2817).

 

[Merv_P]

...Anyone else thinking Colonial Viper MK II here, kids?

Yes; mated with the '2001' Orion Shuttle.

 

[big_m]

Hi,

http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/1999/TM-1999-209185.pdf

Other papers:
This describes a full sized research version of the launch vehicle,
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20010059598_2001093651.pdf

And this one is for a prototype demonstrator:
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19990047853_1999074854.pdf