DC-XA
Launch vehicle · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
American VTOVL test vehicle. After a hard landing in the last flight of this series, the vehicle was rebuilt to the DC-XA configuration. The DC-XA flew from May 1996 until destroyed when it tipped over while landing on its fourth flight on 31 July 1996.
Related
- Family
- test vehicle
- Country
- USA
- Engines
- RL-10A-5
- Launch Sites
- White Sands
- Agency
- Douglas
Chronology
4 events
1996 May 18
14:20 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Delta Clipper. Launch Vehicle: DC-XA.- Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Apogee: 0 km (0 mi). First flight of the DC-XA; aeroshell caught fire during slow landing. Reached altitude of 244 m during a 62 second flight..
1996 June 7
16:15 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Delta Clipper. Launch Vehicle: DC-XA.- Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Apogee: 0 km (0 mi). Maximum structural stresses with 50% full LOX tank. Reached altitude of 590 m during a 64 second flight..
1996 June 8
18:17 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Delta Clipper. Launch Vehicle: DC-XA.- Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Apogee: 3.00 km (1.80 mi). 26-hour rapid turnaround demostration; new altitude and duration record. Reached altitude of 3140 m during a 142 second flight..
1996 July 31
19:15 GMT - . Launch Site: White Sands. LV Family: Delta Clipper. Launch Vehicle: DC-XA. FAILURE: Landing strut 2 failed to extend; vehicle tipped over and LOX tank exploded; vehicle destroyed..- Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Huntsville. Apogee: 1.00 km (0.60 mi). Reached altitude of 1250 m during a 140 second flight..