Project Buran 2.0

[Longjap]

Couldn't contain myself to share my top secret project I've been working on for a while as well, the Buran 2.0.

After working on the SLS I was thinking it would be fun to come up with Russia's answer to the SLS. And while the US basically relies back on the old Apollo style capsule technology to send humans to back to space the Russians will revamp their space shuttle program and produce a sleek big hauler. :lol:

Hopefully this one will catch on. (AKA if i'll finish it) I'm a big admirer of Russian aeronautics and I tried to give a feel of the Migs and Sukhoi's in the design as well as hints to the old Buran and long range cold war bombers. It will have a cargo bay of 16 meters lenght and 5.8m diameter.

Now I'm more a realistic kind of guy, and a bit in doubt if it will be a deltaglider style fairy dust fuel system with scram engines or some more unbelievably big rocket system must be invented a la SpaceX to strap it on.
Maybe some of you can drop some ideas.

Anyway, it's early stages, only the shape mesh. It's going to be very detailed so don't expect anytime soon.:thumbup:

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, I still feel bad about ruining good canards in hypersonic airflow. Its kill or be killed there. I know it looks much more futuristic with canards, but its no fun to have them in that situation in reality.

 

[Longjap]

Well, I still feel bad about ruining good canards in hypersonic airflow. Its kill or be killed there. I know it looks much more futuristic with canards, but its no fun to have them in that situation in reality.

Don't critique the canards, they're essential! :lol:

Are you saying you've been in a situation where you were going hypersonic speeds in an air plane with canards? :headbang:

Well I thought about that. It wasn't my idea to let them burn up on reentry actually. I thought to make them deployable. So let's say < mach2 they become active.
They'll rotate on the front corner, (not as yet depicted in screens) and can be folded inside the airframe via that same rotation point.

Just to give that extra elevator in the final moments of the approach. But first and foremost because it looks cool. This a form over function machine Urwumpe. This is the best philosophy to get great space planes you know.

 

[Urwumpe]

Don't critique the canards, they're essential! :lol:

"That rug really tied the room together". :lol:

Are you saying you've been in a situation where you were going hypersonic speeds in an air plane with canards? :headbang:

If I would have done so, you would likely still hear the echos of my prayers to the God Of Servoactuation And Quadruple Redundancy sound around the globe. :lol:

But I know how much engineering effort was needed to convince pilots to trust the Eurofighter Typhoon, because they had reasonable fear (from previous failed aircraft designs) that failing Canards could make the aircraft uncontrollable and lead to RUD. And that was in a flight regime, where air is compressible. At hypersonic speed, air is like a less dense version of concrete. It does not flow around you, you cut through it.

Well I thought about that. It wasn't my idea to let them burn up on reentry actually. I thought to make them deployable. So let's say < mach2 they become active.
They'll rotate on the front corner, (not as yet depicted in screens) and can be folded inside the airframe via that same rotation point.

Oh, did not see it. :lol:


Thats a much better solution, quite many aircraft (even Russian, see Tu-144) used such a arrangement to be capable of both supersonic flight and have good low speed handling.

Just to give that extra elevator in the final moments of the approach. But first and foremost because it looks cool. This a form over function machine Urwumpe. This is the best philosophy to get great space planes you know.

Form follows function. And function follows requirements. Did I already say that I LOVE requirements engineering?

 

[Longjap]

"That rug really tied the room together". :lol:

"Well.. that's like.. your opinion man.."

If I would have done so, you would likely still hear the echos of my prayers to the God Of Servoactuation And Quadruple Redundancy sound around the globe. :lol:

:lol:

Thats a much better solution, quite many aircraft (even Russian, see Tu-144) used such a arrangement to be capable of both supersonic flight and have good low speed handling.

:thumbup: Obviously this bird needs it too.

Form follows function. And function follows requirements. Did I already say that I LOVE requirements engineering?

Well I meant function follows form, you know, like the Italians design their cars. (No offence Fred :lol But I want to create a more or less believable model. So I can go better with form follows function. :thumbup:

I've decided top go with the hypersonic route with scram engines. So while thinking about how it should cut through concrete like you put it I needed to change the design a bit. I've shorten the wings made the profile a lot thinner and with hopefully less drag.

Now the nose has a cone and I was wondering how cones would react during re-entry. It can be dropped of course also to have the rounded nose again.

Also, how is going to space? This thing is bulky. Just three rocket engines and scrams isn't going to cut it. (Just a feeling, I've no data yet) So I thought two boosters carried on it's back might bring it to scram territory pretty fast. Then their jettisoned.

But then it will be very hefty on the gear. So on a rail? Or extra gear to be jettisoned after take off?

 

[Longjap]

Fast low res concept drawing. Pretty pleased with the shape now.

Now I'm thinking of a name. Since it is the second Buran, I thought "Buran Buran". :lol:

But no.. Buran means blizzard so I think it needs another Russian storm name. Maybe "Vikhr"? Russian for tornado? Any native Russians with an idea?

 

[Interceptor]

How about lavina,it means avalanche in Russian.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

Ir reminds me of the DG-EX. Only sleeker with a bit of a mean look to it with that pointy nose.

I like it, I like it a lot. Keep up the good work!