Back لوكهيد مارتن إكس-33 Arabic লকহিড মার্টিন এক্স-৩৩ Bengali/Bangla Lockheed Martin X-33 Czech X-33 German لاکهید مارتین ایکس-۳۳ Persian Lockheed Martin X-33 French Lockheed Martin X-33 Croatian X–33 Hungarian Lockheed Martin X-33 ID Lockheed Martin X-33 Italian
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 Artist's rendition of the X-33 in orbit. | |
| Function | Uncrewed re-usable spaceplane technology demonstrator |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Project cost | $922 million NASA + $357 million Lockheed Martin[1] |
| Size | |
| Height | 20 m (66 ft)[2] |
| Mass | 129,000 kg (285,000 lb)[2] |
| Stages | 1 |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Canceled |
| Engine details | |
| Powered by | 2 XRS-2200 linear aerospikes[1] |
| Maximum thrust | 1,800 kN (410,000 lbf)[1] |
| Propellant | LOX/LH2 |
The Lockheed Martin X-33 was a proposed uncrewed, sub-scale technology demonstrator suborbital spaceplane that was developed for a period in the 1990s. The X-33 was a technology demonstrator for the VentureStar orbital spaceplane, which was planned to be a next-generation, commercially operated reusable launch vehicle. The X-33 would flight-test a range of technologies that NASA believed it needed for single-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicles (SSTO RLVs), such as metallic thermal protection systems, composite cryogenic fuel tanks for liquid hydrogen, the aerospike engine, autonomous (uncrewed) flight control, rapid flight turn-around times through streamlined operations, and its lifting body aerodynamics.[3]
Failures of its 21-meter wingspan and multi-lobed, composite-material fuel tank during pressure testing ultimately led to the withdrawal of federal support for the program in early 2001. Lockheed Martin has conducted unrelated testing, and has had a single success after a string of failures as recently as 2009 using a 2-meter scale model.[4]
- ^ a b c Mark Wade. "X-33". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
- ^ a b Wikisource:X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator
- ^ Conner, Monroe (March 30, 2016). "Lockheed Martin X-33". NASA. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ David, Leonard (October 15, 2009). "Reusable rocket plane soars in test flight". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2009.