Waveriders
Spacecraft
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
British manned spaceplane family of the 1950's-1970's. This approach improved the lift-to-drag ratio and reduced heating during re-entry by using compression lift, riding the shock wave generated by the spacecraft's flight as a lifting surface.
Subtopics
- Nonweiler Waverider British manned spaceplane. Study 1951. The Nonweiler Waverider of the 1950`s was the original caret wing waverider concept. Developed by Professor Terence R F Nonweiler, of Queen's University, Belfast.
- Armstrong Whitworth Waverider British manned spaceplane. Study 1960. The Armstrong Whitworth Waverider study of the 1950`s called for a two-crew waverider spacecraft powered by a second stage atop a British Blue Streak rocket.
- Hawker Siddeley Waverider-1960 British manned spaceplane. Study 1960. An ambitious Blue Streak / Waverider design study was conducted by Hawker Siddeley Aviation in the 1960's. The project was led by Peter A E Stewart, Astronautics Section, Advanced Projects Group.
- Hawker Siddeley Waverider-1971 British manned spaceplane. Study 1971. The Hawker Siddeley Waverider study of 1971 laid out a space vehicle with a waveriding airbreathing hypersonic first stage, and a rocket propelled, lifting body second stage.
Chronology
2 events
1951 During the Year
- Nonweiler Waverider - . Nation: UK. Spacecraft Bus: Waveriders. Spacecraft: Nonweiler Waverider. The Nonweiler Waverider was a caret wing hypersonic waverider concept developed by Professor Terence R.F. Nonweiler, of Queen`s University, Belfast..
1960 During the Year
- Armstrong Whitworth Waverider - .
Nation: UK.
Spacecraft Bus: Waveriders.
Spacecraft: Armstrong Whitworth Waverider.
The study called for a two-crew waverider spacecraft powered by a second stage atop a British Blue Streak rocket. The group leaders of this project were H R Watson of Armstrong Whitworth, and Dr W F Hilton of Hawker Siddeley. The spacecraft design was by T R F Nonweiler.