Limitations of the Deltaglider

[computerex]

Hello folks. If the Deltaglider was real, what structural limitations would it have?

I would really appreciate it if someone can come up with some "realistic" values for the following:

1. Maximum acceleration before causing structural damage
2. Minimum landing vertical velocity
3. Maximum aerodynamic heat flux
4. Maximum Gs
5. Minimum Gs
6. Maximum dynamic pressure [PA]
7. Maximum airspeed, with a dynamic pressure threshold

 

[RAF92_Moser]

Are you creating a new DG, computerex?

Anyway, I find Doug's XR-1 numbers quite believable. The concept of a SSTO DG seems impossible at this moment in time though.

 

[Chipstone306]

Limitations of the delta glider

I brought this idea up a while ago in M6
what is the top speed of the deltaglider (that you can safefully maintain ) at set altitudes
10000 ft
20000 ft
25000 ft
30000 ft
35000 ft

 

[Chipstone306]

Don't have a clue Do we have any engineers out there?

 

[computerex]

Are you creating a new DG, computerex?

Anyway, I find Doug's XR-1 numbers quite believable. The concept of a SSTO DG seems impossible at this moment in time though.

Nope, these values are for the orbiter generic damage system, I decided to re-code it from scratch, it will be far more usable. The problem I don't know the realistic values, and the test deltaglider configuration file that comes with the alpha version contains insane values.

 

[Cosmos]

If you do make another DG, could you make a real life version.( ie. without the hover engines) as if it were really going to be developed and mount it on top of a rocket, with the wheels retracted.There were a few that I remember but the coding wouldn't let the wheels retract. I really wish NASA would make it but they are kinda conservative.

 

[computerex]

If you do make another DG, could you make a real life version.( ie. without the hover engines) as if it were really going to be developed and mount it on top of a rocket, with the wheels retracted.There were a few that I remember but the coding wouldn't let the wheels retract. I really wish NASA would make it but there kinda conservative.

There are already far too many Deltaglider variations out there. I am only looking for these values at the moment, I am particularly interested in #3 and #6.

 

[dutchpirate]

I've had a lot of luck/fun using the TX to get both the DGIV and the XR-1 into orbit. The XR-1 works especially well since it has the SCRAM engines. Back in March of 2006, Aviation Week & Space Technology printed the following article on the Blackstar project, http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/030606p1.xml
that describes a Groom Lake project using an XB-70 derivative aircraft to launch a small spaceplane into LEO. $$ aside, I think that this would be technologically quite feasable, present-day.:speakcool:

 

[silent_protagonist]

Well I know that the DG can't quite go supersonic at sea level. Don't know about other altitudes though.

As far as safety, I don't think it's possible to fly fast enough to trigger the DG's damage simulation in level flight under your own power. You have to be falling from orbit or be strapped to a big booster (tethering yourself to the ISS from the ground will do the trick if I recall).

 

[silent_protagonist]

I'd tend to agree with Moser, just lift the values from the XR1 or DGIV to get something reasonable (with permission, naturally). You can tweak them later to be more realistic if/when you get some feedback from some real engineers (Call me back in about 5 years )