X-41 Common Aero Vehicle
| X-41 Common Aero Vehicle | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Experimental maneuvering re-entry vehicle |
| National origin | United States |
| Status | Experimental research program |
| Primary user | DARPA |
X-41 is the designation, initiated in 2003, for a still-classified United States military spaceplane. The X-41 is now part of the FALCON (Force Application and Launch from Continental United States) program sponsored by DARPA and NASA.
Description
Specifications or photos of the X-41 program have not been released to the public; thus little is known about its goals. It has been described as an experimental maneuvering
hypersonic speeds and releasing that payload into the atmosphere. The word "Aero" in "Common Aero Vehicle" stood for "aeroshell", not "aerospace", because the CAV was a common aerothermodynamic shell for varying and multiple payloads.[1]
The technology necessary for the X-41 is not known and reportedly has yet to be developed. However, it is believed to be a new form of hypersonic propulsion capable of exceeding Mach 7, perhaps reaching Mach 9 (11,000 km/h; 6,900 mph).
See also
- Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2
- Prompt Global Strike
References
External links
- GlobalSecurity.org: X-41
- Spacedaily.com: CAV
- Pentagon Has Far-Reaching Defense Spacecraft in Works, Washington Post, March 16, 2005
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