Aurora (also credited as the SR-91 Aurora) is the popular name for a hypothesised American reconnaissance aircraft, believed by some to be capable of hypersonic flight at speeds of Mach 5⁺. According to the hypothesis, the Aurora was developed in the 1980s or 1990s as a replacement for the aging and expensive SR-71 Blackbird. A British Ministry of Defence report released in May 2006 refers to USAF priority plans to produce a Mach 4-6 highly supersonic vehicle,^[1] but no conclusive evidence has emerged to confirm the existence of such a project. It is believed by some that the Aurora project was cancelled due to a shift from spyplanes to high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles and reconnaissance satellites which can do the same job as a spyplane, but with less risk of casualties. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (820x584, 205 KB)Artists concept of the Aurora aircraft. ... A military aircraft used for monitoring enemy activity, usually carrying no armament. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... ... The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) is an intelligence agency of the United States government. ... The Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, is a major producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense. ... The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. ... The North American X-15 rocket plane was part of the USAF/NASA/USN X-series of experimental aircraft, including also the Bell X-1. ... Look up Hypothesis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A military aircraft used for monitoring enemy activity, usually carrying no armament. ... Boeing X-43 at Mach 7 In aerodynamics, hypersonic speeds are speeds that are highly supersonic. ... An F/A-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier. ... The phrase research and development (also R and D or R&D) has a special commercial significance apart from its conventional coupling of scientific research and technological development. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... May 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → May 1, 2006 (Monday) Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association outraged Vatican by planning to ordain another bishop, Liu Xinhong in Anhui Province. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... A United States Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in transonic flight. ... For other senses of this word, see evidence (disambiguation). ... A military aircraft used for monitoring enemy activity, usually carrying no armament. ... The £124 million Taranis UAV built by BAE Systems An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft with no onboard pilot. ... KH-4B Corona satellite Lacrosse radar spy satellite under construction A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. ... Casualties of war. ...

History

In March 1990, the magazine Aviation Week & Space Technology first broke the news that the term "Aurora" was inadvertently released in the 1985 U.S. budget, as an allocation of $455 million USD for "Black aircraft PRODUCTION" (emphasis added) in FY 1987. Note that this was for building aircraft, not Research and Development.^[2] According to Aviation Week, Aurora referred to a group of exotic aircraft projects, and not to one particular airframe. Funding of the project allegedly reached $2.3 billion in fiscal 1987, according to a 1986 procurement document obtained by Aviation Week. However, according to Ben Rich, former director of Lockheed's Skunk Works (now the Lockheed Advanced Development Company), Aurora was the code name for the B2 Stealth Bomber competition funding, and no such hypersonic plane ever existed ^[3]. 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aviation Week & Space Technology (often abbreviated as Aviation Week or AW&ST) is a weekly magazine. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... A fiscal year (or financial year or accounting reference date) is a 12-month period used for calculating annual (yearly) financial reports in businesses and other organizations. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... The phrase research and development (also R and D or R&D) has a special commercial significance apart from its conventional coupling of scientific research and technological development. ... Categories: Stub | Science & technology magazines ... Exotic can mean: Exotic dance - a form of dancing or stripping Exotic pets - non common pets e. ... Airframe means the mechanical structure of an aircraft[1] and as generally used does not include the engines. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Benjamin Robert Rich (June 18, 1925 – January 5, 1995) was the second director of Lockheeds Skunk Works from 1975 to 1991, succeeding its founder, Kelly Johnson. ... The Lockheed SR-71 was remarkably advanced for its time and remains unsurpassed in many areas of performance. ... A modern Skunk Works project leverages an older: LASRE atop the SR-71 Blackbird. ... ... The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a multi-role stealth bomber able to drop conventional and nuclear weapons. ...

Lockheed Skunk Works

Lockheed's Skunk Works has been suggested as the prime contractor for the Aurora. Throughout the 1980s, financial analysts concluded that Lockheed had been engaged in several large classified projects, but the known projects could not account for the declared net income. Financial analysts at Kemper Securities have examined Lockheed Advanced Development Company's declared revenues from Black programs: A contractor is a legal term for one who enters into a binding agreement to perform a certain service or provide a certain product in exchange for valuable consideration, monetary, goods,services, even barter arrangements. ... A financial analyst (or securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst) works with financial analysis. ... Net income is equal to the income that a firm has after subtracting costs and expenses from the total revenue. ...

• Returns for 1987 were $65 million.
• Returns for 1993 were $475 million.

The only declared Lockheed Black Projects are the U2-R and F-117A upgrade programs, and nothing new has been announced between 1987 and 1993. It was also discovered that the total U.S. budget allocation for Project Aurora for 1987 was no less than $2.27 billion. According to Kemper, this would indicate a first flight of around 1989. The spread of U.S. Government payments to Lockheed indicate that the aircraft was probably about one-fifth (20%) of the way through its development program as of 1992, or has been "extensively prototyped." Around $4.5 billion has already been spent.^[4] Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed Dragon Lady, is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. ... This article is about the stealth fighter. ... Look up Upgrade on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Upgrading is the process of replacing an older thing with a newer thing. ... First Flight is the title of a Star Trek: Enterprise television episode from season two. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with prototyping. ...

Chris Gibson sighting

In late August 1989, while working as an engineer on the jack-up barge "GSF Galveston Key" in the North Sea, Chris Gibson and another witness saw an unfamiliar isosceles triangle-shaped delta aircraft, apparently refuelling from a KC-135 Stratotanker and accompanied by a pair of F-111 fighters. Gibson and his friend observed this spectacle for several minutes, until the aircraft went out of sight. Having dismissed the F-117, Mirage IV and fully-swept wing F-111 as the identity of this unfamiliar aircraft, Gibson drew a sketch of the formation. Gibson was a member of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) — and more importantly, had been in the ROC's aircraft recognition team since 1980 — but was unable to identify this aircraft. 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... For other people named Chris Gibson, click here. ... For alternate meanings, such as the musical instrument, see triangle (disambiguation). ... The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft. ... The General Dynamics F-111 is a medium-range strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and tactical strike aircraft designed in the 1960s. ... This article is about the stealth fighter. ... The Dassault Mirage IV is a French jet-propelled supersonic strategic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. ... The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was, until stood down in 1991, a part of the UK Ministry of Defence. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

When the sighting was made public in 1992, the British Defence Secretary Tom King was told, "There is no knowledge in the MoD of a 'black' programme of this nature, although it would not surprise the relevant desk officers in the Air Staff and Defence Intelligence Staff if it did exist."^[5] Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Tom King or Thomas King may refer to: Thomas Starr King (1824–1864), American Unitarian minister, influential in California politics during the American Civil War Thomas Butler King Tom King - Southern Connecticut State Boss - Farnham Hall Thomas King (boxer) (1835–1888), English boxer, Heavyweight Champion of England Tom King (highwayman... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... In the United States a black project is a top-secret military/defense project, unacknowledged by the government, military personnel, and defense contractors. ... Air Staff Organizational Chart The Air Staff is Headed by the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (currently General John P. Jumper). ... The Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) is an element of the United Kingdoms Ministry of Defence, responsible for collection and assessment of all-source intelligence. ...

Sonic booms

A series of unusual sonic booms were detected in Southern California, beginning in mid to late 1991. On at least five occasions, these sonic booms were recorded by at least 25 of the 220 U.S. Geological Survey sensors across Southern California used to pinpoint earthquake epicenters. The incidents were recorded in June, October and November 1990, and late January 1991. Seismologists estimate that the aircraft were flying at speeds between Mach 5 and 6 (3,300-4,000 mph) and at altitudes of 8-10 km (26,200-32,800 ft). The aircraft's flight path was in a north-northeast direction, consistent with flight paths to secret test ranges in Nevada. Seismologists say that the sonic booms were characteristic of a smaller vehicle than the 37-meter long shuttle orbiter. Furthermore, neither the shuttle nor NASA's single SR-71B was operating on the days the booms were registered.^[6] It is not definitively known if these events can be tied to the Aurora program or to other acknowledged or secret programs. A sonic boom produced by an airplane moving at twice the speed of caramel cheese. ... For the urban complex straddling the United States-Mexico border, see Bajalta California. ... The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. ... Seismometers (in Greek seismos = earthquake and metero = measure) are used by seismologists to measure and record the size and force of seismic waves. ... An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust that creates seismic waves. ... The epicenter is directly above the earthquakes focus. ... Seismology (from the Greek seismos = earthquake and logos = word) is the scientific study of earthquakes and the movement of waves through the Earth. ... Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum. ... ESE also stands for Extensible Storage Engine. ... Official language(s) English Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Area  Ranked 7th  - Total 110,567 sq mi (286,367 km²)  - Width 322 miles (519 km)  - Length 490 miles (788 km)  - % water 0. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. ...

In the article "In Plane Sight?" which appeared in the Washington City Paper on July 3, 1992 (p.12-13), one of the seismologists, Jim Mori, noted: "We can't tell anything about the vehicle. They seem stronger than other sonic booms that we record once in a while. They've all come on Thursday mornings about the same time, between 6 and 7 in the morning."^[7] The Washington City Paper is a U.S. alternative weekly newspaper serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

Former NASA sonic boom expert Dom Maglieri studied the 15-year old sonic boom data from the California Institute of Technology and has deemed that the data showed "something at 90,000 feet, Mach 4 to Mach 5". He also said the booms did not look like booms from aircraft that had traveled through the atmosphere many miles away at LAX, rather, they appeared to be booms from a high-altitude aircraft directly above the ground moving at high speeds. The boom signatures of the two different aircraft patterns is wildly different.^[8]
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... A sonic boom produced by an airplane moving at twice the speed of caramel cheese. ... The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech)[1] is a private, coeducational university located in Pasadena, California, in the United States. ... Runway layout at LAX “LAX” redirects here. ...

Steven Douglas sighting

On March 23, 1992, near Amarillo, Texas, Steven Douglas photographed the "doughnuts on a rope" (or "pearl necklace") contrail and linked this sighting to distinctive sounds. He described the engine noise in the May 11, 1992, edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology (p.62-63) as a: is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Location within the state of Texas Coordinates: , Country United States State Texas County Potter (and Randall) Government  - Mayor Debra McCartt Area  - City  90. ... Contrails are condensation trails (sometimes vapour trails): artificial cirrus clouds made by the exhaust of aircraft engines or wingtip vortices which precipitate a stream of tiny ice crystals in moist, frigid upper air. ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Categories: Stub | Science & technology magazines ...

The distinctive "doughnuts on a rope" contrail and pulsing sounds reported by many have given rise to the speculation that the aircraft might use pulse detonation propulsion technology originally patented in the 1950s but not used on any acknowledged non-research project. A rumble is a form of loud white noise which is often created by a random soundwave existing between certain limitation points. ... A Soyuz rocket, at Baikonur launch pad. ... Contrails are condensation trails (sometimes vapour trails): artificial cirrus clouds made by the exhaust of aircraft engines or wingtip vortices which precipitate a stream of tiny ice crystals in moist, frigid upper air. ... Speculation involves the buying, holding, and selling of stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, collectibles, real estate, derivatives or any valuable financial instrument to profit from fluctuations in its price as opposed to buying it for use or for income via methods such as dividends or interest. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

In addition to providing the first photographs of the distinctive contrail previously reported by many, the significance of this sighting was enhanced by Douglas' reports of intercepts of radio transmissions: This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... See: statistical significance significant figures This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... In communications, transmission is the act of transmitting electrical messages (and the associated phenonomena of radiant energy that pass through media). ...

A month later, radio enthusiasts in California monitoring Edwards AFB Radar (callsign "Joshua Control") heard early morning radio transmissions between Joshua and a high flying aircraft using the callsign "Gaspipe" (which could be a reference to the Aurora's supposed exotic propulsion system). Joshua controllers were vectoring Gaspipe into Edwards AFB, using terminology usually used during Space Shuttle recoveries. Communication is a process that allows beings - in particular humans - to exchange information by several methods. ... US Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft is prepared for flight in November 1997 Cockpit of RAF E-3 Sentry undergoing upgrades Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is a radar-based electronic system designed to carry out airborne surveillance, and C3 (command, control and communications) functions for both... Call sign can refer to different types of call signs: Airline call sign Aviator call sign Cosmonaut call sign Radio and television call signs Tactical call sign, also known as a tactical designator See also: International Callsign Allocations, Maritime Mobile Service Identity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational... Tinker Air Force Base - Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC) - is a U.S. Air Force military base located near Oklahoma City in Midwest City, Oklahoma and is the largest single-site employer in the state having more than 24,000 workers. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (fBlack Mesa Mountain]][2] km)  - % water 1. ... Phonetics (from the Greek word phone = sound/voice) is the study of speech sounds (voice). ... Generally speaking, the term alphanumeric refers to anything that consists of only letters and numbers. ... Enthusiasm (from Gr. ... Edwards Air Force Base is a base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley, northeast of Lancaster. ... In communications, transmission is the act of transmitting electrical messages (and the associated phenonomena of radiant energy that pass through media). ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ...

At the time, NASA was operating both the SR-71 and the U2-R from Edwards, but it has been confirmed that neither of these types were operating at the time Gaspipe was heard.^[9] Curtis Peebles claims in his book Dark Eagles that the intercepted radio transmissions were probably a prank on the part of Edwards security personnel, but it is unlikely that they would have access to the terminology used in the transmissions. Glideslope is the word used for the final approach segment of an Instrument Approach by an airpline, by means of ILS (Instrument Landing System) or MLS (Microwave Landing System). ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... Edwards Air Force Base is a base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley, northeast of Lancaster. ... Curtis Peebles is an aerospace historian for the Smithsonian Institution and the author of several books. ...

The Scottish connection

Beginning in 1991, reports started appearing in Scottish newspapers — including "The Scotsman" — that the Aurora was landing and taking off from Machrihanish airbase on the Kintyre peninsula. Machrihanish was an RAF base with a long runway which was a V bomber dispersal base during the Cold War before being handed over to the U.S. Navy, which used it as an overseas base for their Navy SEALs until 1995. It was alleged that air traffic controllers had seen aircraft on their radars taking off from there and accelerating to high Mach numbers. None of the supposed controllers has ever gone on the record. Others have claimed that Royal Marines inadvertently discovered the Aurora in a hangar at Machrihanish, but again none of the supposed witnesses have ever gone on the record. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the country. ... The Scotsmans offices in Edinburgh The Scotsman is a Scottish national newspaper, published in Edinburgh. ... RAF Machrihanish is a former Royal Air Force station three miles from the town of Campbeltown at the tip of Kintyre. ... Kintyre shown within Argyll Kintyre is a peninsula in western Scotland in the south-west of Argyll. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The term V bomber was used for the Royal Air Force aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that comprised the UKs strategic nuclear strike force. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... USN redirects here. ... Overseas, meaning literally a place over an ocean, the term is for some countries synonymous with the word international. ... “Navy seals” redirects here. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... This long range radar antenna, known as ALTAIR, is used to detect and track space objects in conjunction with ABM testing at the Ronald Reagan Test Site on the Kwajalein atoll. ... The Royal Marines (RM), are the Royal Navys elite fighting forces. ... Hangars can be used to hold airplanes, airships and helicopters. ...

Other sightings

• In 1998, another aircraft spotter videotaped two unusual contrails in quick succession. One of the sights appeared to be a fireball, while the other was described as "doughnuts on a rope."

• In March 2006, the History Channel broadcast a television program called "An Alien History of Planet Earth" which examined UFO reports in the context of secret military aviation programs. During the program, aviation journalist Nick Cook presented a satellite image of the continental U.S. showing a contrail allegedly originating in Nevada and extending over the Atlantic Ocean. The contrail was unusual, as it appeared different from other contrails visible on satellite images. The craft that produced those contrails was not visible on the image. Based on the details of the image, it was speculated that it indicated an aircraft flying at a speed of around 7,000 mph (Mach 10.5).

• In the 1980s and 1990s, NASA and several aerospace companies proposed multiple aircraft designs for hypersonic aircraft that are reminiscent of the aircraft described by Gibson. Some appeared to be based around what was learned from experiments with the XB-70 Valkyrie waverider airplane, which used air compressed by the supersonic shockwave around the aircraft to generate additional lift.

Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Bottom view of VHS videotape cassette with magnetic tape exposed Videotape is a means of recording images and sound onto magnetic tape as opposed to movie film. ... Contrails are condensation trails (sometimes vapour trails): artificial cirrus clouds made by the exhaust of aircraft engines or wingtip vortices which precipitate a stream of tiny ice crystals in moist, frigid upper air. ... Look up fireball in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... March 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announces that the 2006 Fiji general elections will be held in the second week of May 2006 from the 6th to the 13th. ... The History Channel is a cable television channel, dedicated to the presentation of historical events and persons, often with frequent observations and explanations by noted historians as well as reenactors and witnesses to events, if possible. ... UFO can mean: Unidentified flying object United Future Organization, a Japanese-Brazilian electronic jazz band UFO, the rock band that previously featured Michael Schenker UFO, the Gerry Anderson TV series United Farmers of Ontario, a political party that formed the government in Ontario from 1919 to 1923 U.F.O... Nick Cook is a British journalist and author of fiction and non-fiction works. ... Satellite imagery are photographs of Earth or other planets made from artificial satellites. ... The continental United States refers (except sometimes in U.S. federal law and regulations) to the largest part of the U.S. that is delimited by a continuous border. ... Contrails are condensation trails (sometimes vapour trails): artificial cirrus clouds made by the exhaust of aircraft engines or wingtip vortices which precipitate a stream of tiny ice crystals in moist, frigid upper air. ... Official language(s) English Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Area  Ranked 7th  - Total 110,567 sq mi (286,367 km²)  - Width 322 miles (519 km)  - Length 490 miles (788 km)  - % water 0. ... Satellite imagery are photographs of Earth or other planets made from artificial satellites. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... Look up aerospace in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Boeing X-43 at Mach 7 In aerodynamics, hypersonic speeds are speeds that are highly supersonic. ... The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was conceived for the Strategic Air Command in the 1950s as a high-altitude bomber that could fly three times the speed of sound (Mach 3). ... A waverider is a hypersonic aircraft design that improves its supersonic lift-to-drag ratio by producing a lifting surface built out of the shock waves being generated by its own flight, a technique known as compression lift. ... A United States Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in transonic flight. ... Introduction The shock wave is one of several different ways in which a gas in a supersonic flow can be compressed. ... The lift force, lifting force or simply lift is a mechanical force generated by a solid object moving through a fluid. ...

Decline of the Aurora

According to an "Exclusive Special Report" published in Military Space in January 1995, "Aurora was canceled by the Secretary of Defense Cheney in 1992, after he was informed that Aurora vehicles would cost approximately $1 billion per flight." A decline in the number of sightings after 1992, combined with the widespread understanding that the U.S. is now using low-speed "stealthy" drone aircraft in the reconnaissance role combined with spy satellites, led some observers to conclude by 1999 that even if the Aurora had existed, it was probably no longer in service. One possibility is that at least one Aurora was built but failed to live up to its design expectations. If so, the program may still be classified simply to conceal the significant amount of the money that would have been invested in the program. 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... A hummingbird Female Mallard Duck in midflight A dragonfly in flight Flight is the process by which an object achieves sustained movement either through the air by aerodynamically generating lift or aerostatically using buoyancy, or movement beyond earths atmosphere, in the case of spaceflight. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... F-117 stealth attack plane Stealth technology is a sub-discipline of electronic countermeasures which covers a range of techniques used with aircraft, ships and missiles, in order to make them less visible (ideally invisible) to radar, infrared and other detection methods. ... The £124 million Taranis UAV built by BAE Systems An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft with no onboard pilot. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... KH-4B Corona satellite Lacrosse radar spy satellite under construction A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... “Invest” redirects here. ...

In the 1996 book Skunk Works, Ben Rich, the former head of Lockheed's Skunk Works division, claims that the Aurora was simply the budgetary code name for the stealth bomber fly-off that resulted in the B-2 Spirit. Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Benjamin Robert Rich (June 18, 1925 – January 5, 1995) was the second director of Lockheeds Skunk Works from 1975 to 1991, succeeding its founder, Kelly Johnson. ... The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a multi-role stealth bomber able to drop conventional and nuclear weapons. ...

Interestingly, the October 2006 issue of Popular Science has noted that the U.S. Air Force operations budget has a $9 billion hole, with no explanation as to where the money is headed. Also, unexplained booms similar to the 1990-1991 series have recently been felt in the San Diego area again, possibly meaning a resurgence of the Aurora project.^[10] October 2006 is the tenth month of that year and has yet to occur. ... This article is not about the magazine, Popular Science Popular science is interpretation of science intended for a general audience, rather than for other scientists or students. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates , Government County San Diego Mayor City Attorney         City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Jerry Sanders (R) Michael Aguirre Scott Peters Kevin...

U.K. Ministry of Defence paper on "BLACK" aircraft

Sample page of the MoD's report on UAPs, released in May 2006

In May 2006, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) released an extensive report on Unexplained Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) in the U.K. air defence area.[1] It was written by the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) in 2000 and was originally classified "SECRET UK eyes only". It is unusual, because it contains official comments on "black" programmes. One of the Working Papers is entitled ""BLACK" AND OTHER AIRCRAFT AS UAP EVENTS". It says, "it is acknowledged that some UAP sightings can be attributed to covert aircraft programmes". The report lists three "Western" programmes which might result in this — all of which appear to be American (right side image). The first — not surprisingly — is the SR-71. Programme 2 and Programme 3 are redacted from the report — even their names are withheld. Image File history File links May2006_UK_MoD_Report_BBCNEWS_page3. ... Image File history File links May2006_UK_MoD_Report_BBCNEWS_page3. ... May 2006 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → May 1, 2006 (Monday) Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association outraged Vatican by planning to ordain another bishop, Liu Xinhong in Anhui Province. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... UFO redirects here. ... The Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) is an element of the United Kingdoms Ministry of Defence, responsible for collection and assessment of all-source intelligence. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Secrecy is the condition of hiding information from others. ... Look up West in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. ...

Two photos or representations have also been removed from the file before release. Adjacent sections freely talk about the F-117, B-2 and F-22, and show photos of these aircraft; so these programmes appear to be something different. Elsewhere in the report the DIS says, "The projected (USAF) priority plan is to produce unpiloted air-breathing aircraft with a Mach 8-12 capability and transatmospheric vehicles as well as highly supersonic vehicles at Mach 4 to 6". The Mach 8-12 aircraft may refer to what the USAF announced as the Falcon Project in 2003 but this is the first official mention of a USAF plan for an Aurora-like Mach 4-6 vehicle. Bill Sweetman (Sweetman, Bill. (1993) Aurora: The Pentagon's Secret Hypersonic Spyplane) says the report shows the MoD "identified two separate U.S. 'Black' programmes that might have operated from the U.K." This caught the attention of the BBC Two's Newsnight (14/06/2006), who related the project to many other covert projects. A photograph (often just called a photo) is an image (or a representation of that on e. ... This article is about the stealth fighter. ... The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a multi-role stealth bomber able to drop conventional and nuclear weapons. ... The F-22 Raptor is a fifth generation fighter aircraft which utilizes fourth generation Stealth technology. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... An F/A-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier. ... A United States Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in transonic flight. ... Force Application and Launch from Continental United States, dubbed FALCON, is a joint project between U.S. Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bill Sweetman is an editor for Janes and a writer of more than 50 books on military aircraft. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Newsnight is a British daily news analysis, current affairs and politics programme broadcast between 22:30 and 23:20 on weekdays on BBC Two. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cultural References

The Aurora carrier-spyplane aircraft system, scale model by Testors

For a time in the 1990s, the Aurora aircraft became a touchstone for every "cool" technology then under development. Soon it was appearing on the cover of various magazines such as Popular Science, and for some time was considered to "obviously exist" because the SR-71 had been retired and it was popularly believed that something was needed to fill the role. The Testors company produced a model kit (right side image) based on designs popularized in the press. Other companies also got into the business. Estes Industries made a model rocket kit, and Galoob made a Micro Machines toy version of the theoretical aircraft. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (640x624, 233 KB)The Aurora Reconnaissance System, consisting of the SR-75 Penetrator and X-7 Thunder Dart Photos copyright Bondo Phil Brandt [1] Scale model by Testors, collage by me This work is a copyrighted publicity photograph. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (640x624, 233 KB)The Aurora Reconnaissance System, consisting of the SR-75 Penetrator and X-7 Thunder Dart Photos copyright Bondo Phil Brandt [1] Scale model by Testors, collage by me This work is a copyrighted publicity photograph. ... A touchstone is a small tablet of dark stone such as fieldstone or slate, used for probing of precious metal alloys. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is not about the magazine, Popular Science Popular science is interpretation of science intended for a general audience, rather than for other scientists or students. ... Testor Corporation is a manufacturer of model kits, tools, and accessories based in Rockford, Illinois. ... Estes Industries (AKA Estes-Cox Corporation) is a company based in Penrose, Colorado, USA that designs and builds model rocket and model aircraft engines and kits. ... A Soyuz rocket, at Baikonur launch pad. ... Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

In fiction

The Aurora's status as a mysterious, fantastic and state-of-the-art aircraft has earned itself a place in popular aviation fiction. Here are some appearances of the aircraft in books, TV series, films, video games and flight sims: A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... This article is about computer and video games. ... A flight simulator is a system that tries to replicate, or simulate, the experience of flying an airplane as closely and realistically as possible. ...

Books

• The plane is mentioned and used in the book Deception Point by Dan Brown where he states at the beginning that "all technologies listed in this book exist". It used a misted-methane Pulse Detonation Engine.

• The plane is mentioned and plays a critical role in several of the Atlantis books by Greg Donegan (Bob Mayer), including Atlantis and Atlantis: Gate.

• The plane is mentioned and briefly described in Frederick Forsyth's 1994 thriller, The Fist of God, loosely based on events leading up to and during the 1991 Gulf War, as one of the various reconnaissance tools used by coalition forces to defeat Saddam Hussein after the invasion of Kuwait.

• The plane is mentioned and used in the book Nano by John Robert Marlow and is equipped with a pulse detonation engine and a chromomorphic skin.

• The science-fiction novel Area 51 by Robert Doherty featured the Aurora spy plane, which in the book, is used in conjunction with test-flight of crashed alien spacecraft.

• The plane is mentioned and used in the book Chains of Command by Dale Brown. The plane was reportedly assigned to a Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base in California. One aircraft was flying over Ukraine, recording a series of nuclear explosions from Russian attacks.

• The plane is described in detail in the novel Coyote by Jim DeFilice as a "Smart Plane" of the future, with an Artificial Intelligence Computer System named "Coyote". It is designated the SR-91, and not mentioned as Aurora.

• The plane is mentioned and plays a critical plot role in Icefire by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, where it is utilized to place characters ahead of an expanding Pacific tsunami.

• The plane is described in and plays an important role in the plot of "Silent Salvo" by Joe L. Gribble.

• The plane is mentioned with a link to the Lockheed-Martin's Skunk Works in Nick Cook's 2002 investigation book "The Hunt for Zero Point".

• The plane is briefly mentioned in the novel Area 7 by Matthew Reilly where it is suggested by a character that area 8 may contain the plane and the associated project.

• The plane is extensively prominent in Robin A. White's 1990 novel "The Flight From Winter's Shadow". Project Aurora's "Excalibur" as the plane was called by its crew, was manufactured by Norton Aerodyne. A golden upthrust sword was its symbol on the tail of the aircraft. Some of its technical descriptions are: Mach 5 capable, utilizing cryogenic hydrogen as fuel, with 4 engines (2 General Electric turbines and 2 ramjets for hypersonic performance), retractable canard wings for low-speed configuration, operational ceiling of about 25 miles and internal bays that could accommodate reconnaissance gear to Air Launched Cruise Missiles to rotary cannons.

Deception Point book cover Deception Point (2001) is a thriller novel by Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and Digital Fortress. ... Dan Brown (born June 22, 1964) is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the controversial 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. ... Technology (Gr. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Picture of Platos description of Atlantis Atlantis (Greek: , Island of Atlas) is the name of a legendary island first mentioned in Platos dialogues Timaeus and Critias. ... ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy one of the following guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia: If you are familiar with the subject matter, please expand the article to establish its notability, citing reliable sources, so as to avoid it being considered... Picture of Platos description of Atlantis Atlantis (Greek: , Island of Atlas) is the name of a legendary island first mentioned in Platos dialogues Timaeus and Critias. ... Frederick Forsyth. ... The Fist of God is a novel by Frederick Forsyth, mixing known fact with fiction to tell a story of the coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War racing against time to discover the true nature of Saddam Husseins secret weapon, The Fist of God. ... Combatants United States Saudi Arabia Egypt United Kingdom & US-led Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf Khalid bin Sultan Saddam Hussein Strength 883,863 360,000 Casualties 240 killed in action, 776 wounded, 30 taken prisoner At least 183,000 victims of the Gulf War syndrome Est. ... Coalition of the willing is a phrase which has been used since the 1980s to refer to groups of nations acting collectively and often militarily outside of United States position in the Iraq disarmament crisis and later the March 2003 invasion of Iraq (see Occupation of Iraq, 2003_2004). ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... Combatants Republic of Iraq State of Kuwait Commanders Ali Hassan al-Majid N/A Strength 100,000[1] 16,000[2] Casualties 37+ aircraft (est. ... Look up nano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Chromomorphism (chromo: color / morph: change) is a quality of certain materials or living tissues that are able to change their colors. ... Area 51 (also known as Air Force Flight Test Center (Detachment 3)[1], Dreamland, Paradise Ranch[2], Home Base, Watertown Strip, Groom Lake[3], The Box, Neverland, and other names) is a remote tract of land in the southwestern portion of Lincoln County in southern Nevada, located at , , at the... Area 51 were written by Robert Doherty, the pen name of author Bob Mayer. ... Dale Brown (b. ... Beale Air Force Base is a base located in Yuba County, California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... It has been suggested that Nuclear explosive be merged into this article or section. ... Coyote (2002) is science fiction author Allen Steele’s novel of interstellar exploration and settlement. ... | name = Icefire | title_orig = | translator = Prashanth Peketi | image = | image_caption = | author = Chris DLacey | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = United Kingdom | language = ENGLISH | series = | subject = | genre = | publisher = Orchard Books | release_date = | english_release_date = | media_type = | pages = 421 pp | isbn = ISBN 1843623730 | preceded_by = | followed_by = }} Icefire is a novel by an English author, Chris DLacey. ... The tsunami that struck Malé in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ... Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is a leading multinational aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology company formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... A modern Skunk Works project leverages an older: LASRE atop the SR-71 Blackbird. ... Nick Cook is a British journalist and author of fiction and non-fiction works. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Area-7 (also known as Area 7) is the name of an Australian alternative/third wave ska band. ... Matthew Reilly, born July 2nd, 1974 Sydney, is an Australian action thriller writer. ...

TV

• In The X-Files:
  • A "Black Triangle" type of aircraft from Area 51 is the object pursued by Special Agents Mulder and Scully in the episode "Dreamland". Although, in the series it uses a form of alien propulsion system.
  • The Aurora program is also referenced in the episode "Deep Throat", where the stresses and strains of piloting such an airframe causes psychological damage to one of the test pilots, which is then covered up by the Air Force.

• The plane appears during an episode of JAG when it was piloted by U.S. Navy Commander Harmon "Harm" Rabb, Jr. and another pilot. The plane was being used by the CIA in the episode to spy on North Korean ground movements. In the episode, the plane emitted "doughnuts on a rope" contrails while in flight, and was even able to outrun SAMs launched against it.

• Reported in detail in a History Channel program named "Greatest Military Secrets".

• Reported in detail in a TLC program named "Billion Dollar Secret".

X-Files intro from first 8 seasons The X-Files was a popular 1990s American science fiction television series created by Chris Carter. ... Area 51 (also known as Air Force Flight Test Center (Detachment 3)[1], Dreamland, Paradise Ranch[2], Home Base, Watertown Strip, Groom Lake[3], The Box, Neverland, and other names) is a remote tract of land in the southwestern portion of Lincoln County in southern Nevada, located at , , at the... Deep Throat was the second episode of the first season of The X-Files science-fiction television series created by Chris Carter. ... Psychology (ancient Greek: psyche = soul and logos = word) is the study of mind, thought, and behaviour. ... Test pilots are aviators who fly new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated. ... JAG (the American Military acronym for Judge Advocate General) is a popular American adventure and drama television show, that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. ... Harmon Rabb, Jr. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... Akash Missile Firing French Air Force Crotale battery Bendix Rim-8 Talos surface to air missile of the US Navy A surface-to-air missile (SAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. ... The History Channel is a cable television channel, dedicated to the presentation of historical events and persons, often with frequent observations and explanations by noted historians as well as reenactors and witnesses to events, if possible. ... TLC is a cable TV network in the US and Canada, that carries a variety of informational and reality-based programming. ... Billion Dollar Secret was a 1999 TLC Video that was distributed by Discovery Channel Video. ...

Films

• The Aurora is briefly mentioned in the movie Broken Arrow during the B-3 flight sequence.

• There was some confusion over whether photos taken on an aircraft carrier were of the Aurora, however these photos turned out to be of a movie prop taken during the filming of Stealth. That aircraft is the fictional F/A-37 Talon multi-role fighter of the U.S. Navy. The Talons and Unmaned Drone Fighter (TinMan) also were capable of achieving hypersonic speeds by using their "Swarm Logic" commands; the aircraft would collapse protruding edges and hording together in a "pierce/draft" diamond or triangle formation.

• The film Tactical Assault features the 'Aurora' on the computer screens in the fighter plane cockpit scenes.

• The film Aurora: Operation Intercept features the Aurora aircraft in detail.

• The film Falcon Down used the Aurora aircraft.[2][3]

Broken Arrow is a 1996 American action film directed by John Woo and starring John Travolta and Christian Slater. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of fictional aircraft. ... Stealth is a 2005 action/adventure thriller starring Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of fictional aircraft. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Falcon Down is an action film. ...

Games & flight sims

• Two versions of an Aurora bomber aircraft — one employing an immense bomb and one exclusive to General Alexander that employs an immense fuel-air bomb — are present in the computer game Command & Conquer: Generals and its expansion pack Zero Hour. On its attack runs, the Aurora flies too fast to be hit by anti-aircraft fire.

• In the Desert Siege expansion for the game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, the player is tasked in destroying a crashed Aurora.

• In the PlayStation/Nintendo 64 game Vigilante 8, three black aircraft in the Area 51 level look very similar to artist concepts of the Aurora.

The UI-4054 Aurora in Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere

• The aircraft can be unlocked in the PlayStation game Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere. It is called the UI-4054 Aurora and is used by the Ouroboros faction. It is, however, armed with guns and missiles, and is super-maneuverable, unlike the real Aurora which is supposedly unarmed and designed to fly fast and straight.

• The aircraft can also be glimpsed in the computer game F-22 ADF and its sequel Total Air War, both by Digital Image Design.

• Jane's Fighters Anthology military flight simulator (a compilation of Advanced Tactical Fighters, Navy Fighters and their expansions, European Fighters and USNF '97) included the "Aurora Spy Plane" as a flyable aircraft in the Jane's Information CD, which is packaged with the game. In the first mission of the Egypt 1998 campaign, an Aurora plane suffers mechanical problems while flying over the Mediterranean and needs to land at a U.S. airbase in the Sinai. The player is tasked to scramble and protect the aircraft from Islamic Egyptian interceptors.

• In the World of Darkness, the Technocracy uses plasma-cannon armed Auroras as multirole aircraft.

• The plane was featured in a mission in the late 90s PC game Spec Ops: Rangers Lead the Way.

• A recoverable file in the first level of the first person shooter Black references the Aurora bomber.

Thermobaric weapons distinguish themselves from conventional explosive weapons by using atmospheric oxygen, instead of carrying an oxidizer in their explosives. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... A screenshot showing the HUD. Tom Clancys Ghost Recon (also known as simply Ghost Recon) is a tactical shooter video game created by Tom Clancy. ... A screenshot showing the HUD. Tom Clancys Ghost Recon (also known as simply Ghost Recon) is a tactical shooter video game created by Tom Clancy. ... The Sony PlayStation ) is a video game console of the 32/64-bit era, first produced by Sony Computer Entertainment in the mid-1990s. ... This section needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Area 51 (also known as Air Force Flight Test Center (Detachment 3)[1], Dreamland, Paradise Ranch[2], Home Base, Watertown Strip, Groom Lake[3], The Box, Neverland, and other names) is a remote tract of land in the southwestern portion of Lincoln County in southern Nevada, located at , , at the... Image File history File links AceCombat3_Aurora_1. ... Image File history File links AceCombat3_Aurora_1. ... Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere is the third installment in the Ace Combat series of games. ... Digital Image Design is a British video game developer originally based in Warrington, Cheshire. ... Janes Information Group (often referred to as Janes) was founded by John F.T. Jane in 1898. ... A compilation of flight simulators that included Advanced Tactical Fighters, Advanced Tactical Fighters - Nato Fighters, and U.S. Navy Fighters 97 - all games from Electronic Arts Janes Combat Simulations, seemlessly integrated into one game. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Suez (west), Gulf of Aqaba (east) from Space Shuttle STS-40 For other uses of the word Sinai, please see: Sinai (disambiguation). ... The World of Darkness (or WoD) is the name given to two related but distinct fictional universes developed by Mark Rein-Hagen. ... This is one article on technocracy pertaining to a fictional story. ... This computer/video game related article needs cleanup. ... A first-person shooter (FPS) is a computer or video game where the players on-screen view of the game world simulates that of the character, and there is some element of shooting involved. ... Black is a first-person shooter for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, developed by Criterion Games (the same developers who made the Burnout games) and published by Electronic Arts. ...

Estimated Specifications

All specs are from http://aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/recon/aurora/ and are estimations only.

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (1 pilot, 1 reconnaissance systems officer)
• Length: 35 m (115 ft)
• Wingspan: 20 m (65 ft)
• Height: 6 m (19 ft)
• Wing area: 300 m² (3,200 ft²)
• Empty weight: 29,480 kg (65,000 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 71,215 kg (157,000 lb)
• Powerplant: (Low Speed) 4× afterburning turbofans, (unknown thrust) each, (High Speed) 4× ramjets, scramjets or pulse detonation engines (267 kN est. thrust) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 5-8 at altitude (unknown at sea level)
• Range: 15,000 km (8,000 nautical miles)
• Service ceiling: 40,000 m (131,000 ft)
• Thrust/weight: unknown

For an explanation of the units and abbreviations in this list, please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/Units key.
Fuel types
Methane, MCH, LH₂ or hydrogen fuel cells. Possible use of liquid oxygen and hydrogen-oxide. The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... Schematic diagram of high-bypass turbofan engine CFM56-3 turbofan, lower half, side view. ... A ramjet, sometimes referred to as a stovepipe jet, is a type of jet engine. ... X-43A with scramjet attached to the underside at Mach 7 A scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) is a variation of a ramjet with the key difference being that the flow in the combustor is supersonic. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft, or cross-country speed and environmental conditions in unpowered aircraft. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... Thrust-to-weight ratio (where weight means weight at the Earths surface) is a dimensionless parameter characteristic of rocket and jet engines, and of vehicles propelled by such engines (typically space launch vehicles and jet aircraft). ...

Other equipment

• Cameras
• IR sensors
• Other advanced recon sensors

Large format camera lens. ... Look up ir in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

See also

• SR-71 Blackbird, a strategic reconnaissance aircraft, retired in 1998.
• XB-70 Valkyrie, a concept high-altitude bomber developed in the 1950s.
• X-15 Rocket plane, the first hypersonic manned air/spacecraft.
• Blackstar spaceplane, another alleged 'Black Project'.
• TR-3A Black Manta, another alleged 'Black Project'.
• X-30 National Aero-Space Plane, an 'Aero-Space Plane' concept from the 1980s.
• Boeing X-43A Hyper-X, an unmanned experimental hypersonic aircraft, the current speed record holder for air-breathing aircraft.
• Skylon, a design for a hypersonic Mach 5.5 hydrogen-powered aircraft.

The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. ... The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was conceived for the Strategic Air Command in the 1950s as a high-altitude bomber that could fly three times the speed of sound (Mach 3). ... The North American X-15 rocket plane was part of the USAF/NASA/USN X-series of experimental aircraft, including also the Bell X-1. ... For other uses, see Black Star. ... The TR-3A Black Manta is reputedly a United States Air Force spyplane. ... 1986 artists concept of X-30 on liftoff. ... NASA technicians working on the X-43A at the tip of a Pegasus rocket attached to a Boeing B-52B prior to launch (March 27, 2004) The X-43 is an unmanned experimental hypersonic aircraft design with multiple planned scale variations meant to test different aspects of highly supersonic flight. ... Determining the fastest aircraft in the world is difficult, because of the wide variety of designs. ... The Skylon Spaceplane For other uses of the word Skylon, see Skylon (disambiguation) Skylon is a plausible design by top British rocket scientist Alan Bond for an aeroplane that would be able to fly into low earth orbit, and return, completely intact. ...

Literature

Sweetman's Aurora book, one of the most in-depth books on the mysterious aircraft

• Rich, Ben; Janos, Leo. (1996) Skunk Works. Little, Brown & Company, ISBN 0-316-74300-3
• Sweetman, Bill. (1993) Aurora: The Pentagon's Secret Hypersonic Spyplane. Motorbooks International, ISBN 0-87938-780-7
  • Online version available here
• Yenne, Bill. Secret Weapons of the Cold War (chapter 10: Stealth Aircraft). Berkley Publishing Group, ISBN 0-425-20149-X
• Peebles, Curtis. Dark Eagles: A History of Top Secret U.S. Aircraft Programs. ISBN 0-89141-623-4

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (671x870, 147 KB) Summary Aurora: The Pentagons Secret Hypersonic Spyplane (1993) by Bill Sweetman. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (671x870, 147 KB) Summary Aurora: The Pentagons Secret Hypersonic Spyplane (1993) by Bill Sweetman. ... Bill Sweetman is an editor for Janes and a writer of more than 50 books on military aircraft. ...

References and notes

Further reading

News reports:

• BBC News - Report fuels spy plane theories (14 June 2006 - with links to MoD report)
• Report from The Guardian newspaper on reported Aurora sightings in the UK

External links

General information:

• Mystery Aircraft - Aurora / Senior Citizen (Federation of American Scientists)
• Aurora - Secret Hypersonic Spyplane (with link to the fireball/contrail video at the bottom of the page)
• Aurora at DMOZ.org (a collection of links)
• The Aurora Aircraft Page
• Adrian Mann's Aurora pages
• Aurora at UnrealAircraft.com
• Aurora & Beyond at AmericanAntigravity.com, an interview with Paul Czysz
• Aurora seen on Google maps