Nuclear powered aircraft - America's "hottest" bomber: The NX2

[jpak]

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/05/24/details-on-the-nx2-—-our-atomic-plane/

OUR long-awaited atomic-powered airplane—Convair’s Model NX2—is finally on the drawing boards, its components in various stages of construction and testing.

After 14 years’ research and an investment of close to 1 billion dollars, the plane’s reactor is under test and two different engine systems, both slated for early flight testing, are in advanced development.

What will take to the air sometime in 1964 aver sparsely populated western terrain and along 50-mile-wide “radiation corridors” promises some surprises for old-hand plane watchers.

America’s “hottest” bomber, big as a B-52, will have swept back wings and non-orthodox tail control surfaces. Although the NX2’s vital statistics are still shrouded in secrecy, the ship soon to be constructed at Convair’s plant in Fort Worth, Texas, will measure some 180 ft. from nose to tail and have a wingspan of about 150 ft. Its wings will carry no engines except for two conventional jet boosters planned for experimental flights only (Fig. 5). Thus the plane will have thinner and broader wings than the B-52 to balance its tail-heavy reactor and radiation shielding. Control surfaces on the vertical and horizontal stabilizers will be smaller than for jet planes of comparable size. This is because the plane’s center of gravity won’t shift as it does on jet planes as they consume fuel. One pound of fuel probably will carry the NX2 about 14,000 miles and keep it aloft for 24 hours or more.

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Nuclear-powered drone aircraft on drawing board

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3406-nuclearpowered-drone-aircraft-on-drawing-board.html

The US Air Force is examining the feasibility of a nuclear-powered version of an unmanned aircraft. The USAF hopes that such a vehicle will be able to "loiter" in the air for months without refuelling, striking at will when a target comes into its sights.

But the idea is bound to raise serious concerns about the wisdom of flying radioactive material in a combat aircraft. If shot down, for instance, would an anti-aircraft gunner in effect be detonating a dirty bomb?

It raises political questions, too. Having Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) almost constantly flying over a region would amount to a new form of military intimidation, especially if they were armed, says Ian Bellamy, an arms control expert at Lancaster University in Britain.

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The endurance of a future nuclear-powered UAV would offer military planners an option they might find hard to turn down. Last week, the Pentagon allocated $1 billion of its 2004 budget for further development of both armed and unarmed UAVs.

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[Omaha Steve]

1. If Walmart bids on the project.....

It will be made in China! What do the Walton's care about security or any of us little folk?

[FogerRox]

2. Thats is just about the stupidest thing I've read in years

At first I couldn't take seriously, in fact, I still dont. AS far as taking something seriously, I think Polywell fusion will be powering spaceships to Mars and Saturn, before anybody ever builds a nuke powered aircraft.



http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/12/171119/055/665/333938

[losthills]

3. Sheer genius.....

That makes about as much sense as using nuclear reactors to generate electricity right in cities where people live.

Oh wait.....

[Ordr]

4. Interesting

I remember how a similar project failed in the 60s because (among other problems) the heat from the reactor was enough to kill the pilot. UAVs certainly remove that problem. I'm a bit worried about the consequences of a crash, though. Hafnium is indeed a better candidate for fuel compared to the others but I still wouldn't want that anywhere near me unshielded.

[madokie]

5. You don't say

Hafnium is indeed a better candidate for fuel compared to the others but I still wouldn't want that anywhere near me unshielded.
But if it was around others that would be ok, huh???

go find a solution to the nuclear waste problem then lets talk

[Javaman]

6. The Hindenburg of the 21st century waiting to happen...

as with the Hindenburg which was filled with hydrogen, upon explosion, it basically ended the zeppelin era.

Once one of these nuclear flying dirty bombs crashes, so will the program. Yeah yeah yeah, all sorts of safety thingies will be built into it. "the nuclear chamber will be able to withstand a shot from a high powered fuck you up gun at point blank range!" Fine, whatever, but until a real world crash happens color my skeptical.

The Hindenburg was filled with hydrogen! HYDROGEN! and yet they still flew this massive bombs for many years, until one day, Poof! it all ended.

So when one of these little nuclear powered dirty bombs crashes at mach whatever straight into a housing development during an air show and ruptures it's little power plant and spews glowing material far and wide, I will be standing on the sidelines in my lead suit saying, "I told you so".

[Dogmudgeon]

7. "examining the feasibility of a nuclear-powered version of an unmanned aircraft"

It's not exactly in production, let alone contracted out for manufacture.

--p!