Boeing X-40

Infobox Aircraft
name = X-40A

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caption =
type = Glide test vehicle
national origin = USA
manufacturer = Boeing Phantom Works
designer =
first flight = August 11, 1998
(dropped by CH-47 Chinook)
introduction =
retired = May 2001
status = Retired
primary user = AFRL
more users = NASA
produced =
number built = 1
program cost =
unit cost =
developed from = Boeing X-37
variants with their own articles =

The Boeing X-40A Space Maneuver Vehicle was part of the X-37 Future-X Reusable Launch Vehicle project. Built to 85 percent scale, in 2001 it successfully demonstrated the glide capabilities of the X-37's fat-bodied, short-winged design and validated the proposed guidance system.

Its first ever drop test occurred at Holloman AFB, NM on August 11 1998 at 6:59 am. This was a joint Air Force/Boeing project known as Space Maneuver Vehicle. It is reported to be the first ever test of a fully autonomous space vehicle (Japan's earlier test turned out to be partially controlled). It was released from approx. 9,200 ft at 2.5 miles from the end of runway 04 from a helicopter. The vehicle dove to the runway much the way a Space Shuttle does now, flared, and landed left of centerline. It successfully deployed its drag chutes, tracked to within seven feet of centerline and stopped at just over 7,000 feet.

pecifications (X-40)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=
ref=
crew=None
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 6.5 m
length alt= 21 ft
span main= 3.5 m
span alt= 11 ft
height main= 2.3 m
height alt= 7.5 ft
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,500 lbs
empty weight alt= 1,100 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main= 1,200 lbs
useful load alt= 540 kg
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (jet)=
type of jet=
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thrust main=
thrust alt=
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
max speed main= 480 km/h
max speed alt= 300 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
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more performance=
armament=
avionics= Honeywell 12-channel Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI) system

ee also

aircontent
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similar aircraft=

lists=
* List of experimental aircraft

see also=

External links

* [http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/Photo/X-40A/index.html NASA Dryden X-40A SMV Photo Collection]
* [http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1998/news_release_980811a.html X-40A Test Flight, Boeing press release]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/x-40.htm X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle (SMV) on Globalsecurity.org]
* [http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/x-37.html Boeing X-37 / X-40 page on Designation-systems.net]