Boeing X-40

X-40A

Role	Glide test vehicle
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Boeing Phantom Works
First flight	August 11 1998 (dropped by UH-60 Black Hawk)^[1]^[2]^[3]
Status	Retired May 2001
Primary users	AFRL NASA
Number built	1

The Boeing X-40A Space Maneuver Vehicle was a test platform for the X-37 Future-X Reusable Launch Vehicle.

History

The unpiloted X-40 was built to 85 percent scale to test aerodynamics and navigation of the X-37 Future-X Reusable Launch Vehicle project.

After the first drop test in August 1998 the vehicle was transferred to NASA, which modified it. Between April 4 and May 19, 2001 the vehicle successfully conducted seven free flights.^[3] In 2001 it successfully demonstrated the glide capabilities of the X-37's fat-bodied, short-winged design and validated the proposed guidance system.

Testing

The first X-40 drop test occurred at Holloman AFB, New Mexico on August 11, 1998 at 06:59. This was a joint Air Force/Boeing project known as Space Maneuver Vehicle. It was released from an altitude of approximately 9,200 feet (2,800 m) and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) away from the end of Runway 04 by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter^[1]^[2]^[3] (later tests used the CH-47 Chinook helicopter).^[2]^[3] The vehicle dove to the runway in an approach similar to the space shuttle's, flared, and landed left of the runway centerline. Its drag chutes successfully deployed, and the vehicle tracked to within seven feet of the centerline and stopped at a distance of slightly more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m).

Specifications (X-40)

General characteristics

Crew: None
Length: 6.5 m (21 ft)
Wingspan: 3.5 m (11 ft)
Height: 2.3 m (7.5 ft)
Empty weight: 2,500 lb (1,100 kg)
Useful load: 1,200 lb (540 kg)

Performance

Maximum speed: 480 km/h (300 mph)

Avionics
Honeywell 12-channel Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI) system

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boeing X-40.

Boeing military aircraft

Fighters/attack aircraft:	PW-9/FB F2B F3B F4B XF6B P-29/XF7B XF8B P-12 P-26 818 F-15E F-22 AV-8B F-15SE F/A-18E/F EA-18G

Bombers	YB-9 XB-15 B-17 Y1B-20 B-29 XB-38 XB-39 YB-40 XB-44 B-47 B-50 B-52 B-54 XB-55 XB-56 XB-59 B-1

Piston-engined transports	C-73 C-75 C-97 C-98 C-108

Jet transports	C-135 C-137 CC-137 YC-14 C-17 C-22 VC-25 C-32 C-40

Tanker-transports	KB-29 KB-50 KC-97 KC-135 KC-137 KC-10 KC-46 KC-767

Trainers	PT-13 PT-17 PT-18 PT-27 XAT-15 T-43 T-45

Patrol and surveillance	XPB XPBB XP3B P-8 EC-135 EC-18 E-3 E-4 E-6 E-8 E-10 E-767 737 AEW&C

Reconnaissance	NC-135 OC-135B RC-135 WC-135

Drones/UAVs	CQM-121 MQ-18 X-50 ScanEagle

Experimental/prototypes	X-20 X-32 X-36 X-37 X-40 X-45/Phantom Ray X-50 X-51 X-53 YAL-1 Phantom Eye Bird of Prey

USAF / Joint Service experimental aircraft (X-plane) designations since 1941

1–25	X-1 X-2 X-3 X-4 X-5 X-6 X-7 X-8 X-9 X-10 X-11 X-12 X-13 X-14 X-15 X-16 X-17 X-18 X-19 X-20 X-21 X-22 X-23 X-24A / B / C X-25

26–50	X-26 X-27 X-28 X-29 X-30 X-31 X-32 X-33 X-34 X-35 X-36 X-37 X-38 X-39 X-40 X-41 X-42 X-43 X-44 X-45 X-46 X-47A / B / C X-48 X-49 X-50

50–	X-51 X-52¹ X-53 X-54 X-55 X-56 X-57

See also	D-558-1 D-558-2 M2-F1 M2-F2 M2-F3 HL-10 AD-1

¹ Not assigned.

U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) spacecraft and air vehicles

Launch/orbital vehicles	X-33 Venture Star (canceled) HTV-3X Blackswift (canceled) X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle X-40A Space Maneuver Vehicle X-51A WaveRider

University Nanosat Program	Program 3CS FASTRAC CUSat DANDE

Space weather satellites	ARGOS TSX-5 Coriolis C/NOFS DSX

Technology demonstrators	TAOS MightySat-1 MightySat-2 XSS-10 TechSat-21 (canceled) XSS-11 ISAT PnPSat-1 (canceled) ANGELS

Tactical Satellite Program satellites	TacSat-1 TacSat-2 TacSat-3 TacSat-4 TacSat-5

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