The lifting body is an aircraft configuration where the body itself produces lift. It is related to flying wing which is a wing without a conventional fuselage. A lifting body is a fuselage that generates lift without the shape of a typical thin and flat wing structure. A flying wing seeks to maximize cruise efficiency at subsonic speeds by eliminating non-lifting surfaces. By contrast, lifting bodies generally minimize the drag and structure of a wing for very high supersonic, hypersonic flight or spacecraft re-entry. Both designs pose challenges for controlled, stable flight. Flying machine redirects here. ... The lift force, lifting force or simply lift is a mechanical force generated by solid objects as they move through a fluid. ... A Northrop YB-49 flying wing. ...

The Martin Aircraft Company X-24 built as part of a 1963 to 1975 experimental US military program

X-24A, M2-F3 and HL-10 Lifting bodies (NASA)

In 1921 pioneering aviator and aircraft designer Vincent Justus Burnelli patented the simple concept of an airfoil shaped airframe to increase the lift and load capacity of aircraft. [1] Despite a number of business and political setbacks, Burnelli continued to refine and license his designs making a number of refinements to the concept up until his death in 1964. [2] [3] X24 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... X24 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ... Lifting body design progression (from NASA Photo). ... Lifting body design progression (from NASA Photo). ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Vincent Justus Burnelli (November 22, 1895 – June 22, 1964) was an American aeronautics engineer instrumental in furthering the flying wing concept. ...

Development

Aerospace related lifting body research arose from the idea of spacecraft re-entering the Earth's atmosphere and landing much like a regular aircraft. The traditional capsule-like spacecraft had very little control over where they landed once they re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. A steerable spacecraft with wings could significantly extend the landing envelope. Wings would have to be built that could withstand stresses and temperatures at hypersonic speeds. A proposed answer was to eliminate wings altogether: design the body itself to produce lift. The Space Shuttle contains some of the lifting body principles, although it relies more on the delta wing concept. The Space Shuttle Discovery as seen from the International Space Station. ... “Reentry” redirects here. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Flying machine redirects here. ... Boeing X-43 at Mach 7 In aerodynamics, hypersonic speeds are speeds that are highly supersonic. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... The delta-wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. ...

NASA's refinements on the lifting body concept in 1962 with Dale Reed of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. The first full-size model, the NASA M2-F1, was made of wood. Initial tests were performed by towing the craft along a dry lakebed behind a modified Pontiac Catalina [4]. Later the craft was towed from behind a C-47 and released. Since the M2-F1 was a glider, a small rocket motor was added in order to extend the landing envelope. The M2-F1 was soon nicknamed the "Flying Bathtub". Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the American space agency. ... Dryden Flight Research Centers fleet of aircraft in 1993. ... The NASA M2-F1 was a lightweight, unpowered prototype aircraft, developed to flight test the wingless lifting body concept. ... T-Bucket hot rod Hot rods are older, often historical, cars. ... 1964 Pontiac Catalina 2-door hardtop The Pontiac Catalina was part of Pontiacs full-sized automobile line. ... The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. ... Gliders or Sailplanes are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ... A rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust from within a rocket engine. ...

In 1963, NASA began experimenting with heavier rocket powered craft dropped from a B-52 Bomber. (Of the Dryden lifting bodies, all but the NASA M2-F1 used an XLR-11 rocket engine like the famous Bell X-1.) A follow-on design was the Northrop HL-10, developed at NASA's Langley Research Center. The X-24A and X-24B were based on the M2 concept originated by Alfred Eggers in 1957 at NASA Ames Research Center (called the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory in 1957), Moffett Field, Mountain View, California. The M-2 competed in the design of the Space Shuttle, the most notable lifting body in history. Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “B-52” redirects here. ... The NASA M2-F1 was a lightweight, unpowered prototype aircraft, developed to flight test the wingless lifting body concept. ... Development of XLR-11 rocket engine began in 1944 at Reaction Motors, Inc. ... A cold (un-ignited) rocket engine test at NASA A rocket engine is a reaction engine that can be used for spacecraft propulsion as well as terrestrial uses, such as missiles. ... The Bell X-1, originally designated XS-1, was a joint NACA-U.S. Army Air Forces/US Air Force supersonic research project and the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in controlled, level flight. ... The Northrop HL-10 was one of five heavyweight lifting body designs flown at NASAs Flight Research Center (FRC--later Dryden Flight Research Center), Edwards, California, from July 1966 to November 1975 to study and validate the concept of safely maneuvering and landing a low lift-over-drag vehicle... This article is about the American space agency. ... Langley Research Center NASA Langley 14 x 22 foot Subsonic Wind Tunnel. ... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ... Alfred Eggers became Assistant NASA Administrator and devoted efforts to determine the influence of aviation technology in world peace and lectured widely. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Aerial View of Moffett Field and NASA Ames Research Center. ... Aerial View of Moffett Field and NASA Ames Research Center. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Aerial View of Moffett Field and NASA Ames Research Center. ... Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater 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. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ...

A major difficulty with these designs was air flow separation; the air stream would become very turbulent causing loss of control and lift. The HL-10 attempted to solve part of this problem by angling the port and starboard vertical stabilizers outward and enlarging the center one. This air flow problem caused the crash of the Northrop M2-F2 lifting body. The rebuilt M2-F2 (now called the Northrop M2-F3) added a central rudder to correct the aerodynamic flaw of its predecessor. Airflow separating from a wing which is at a high angle of attack All solid objects travelling through a fluid (or alternatively a stationary object exposed to a moving fluid) acquire a boundary layer of fluid around them where friction between the fluid molecules and the objects rough surface... Port is the nautical term (used on boats and ships) that refers to the left side of a ship, as perceived by a person facing towards the bow (the front of the vessel). ... A view of the Starboard side of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ross Starboard is the nautical term that refers to the right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board the ship and facing the bow (front). ... The vertical stabilizer or fin of an aircraft is found on its tail, generally pointing straight upward. ... NASA M2-F2 Lifting Body The Northrop M2-F2 was a heavyweight lifting body based on studies at NASAs Ames and Langley research centers. ... The Northrop M2-F3 was rebuilt from the M2-F2 at Northrop and redesignated the M2-F3 after the M2-F2 crashed at Dryden in 1967. ...

The X-38 was a program under leadership of NASA Johnson Space Center to build a series of incremental flight demonstrators for the proposed Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) for the International Space Station. The X-38 was a lifting body based on the outer mold line of the X-24. The X-38 was a program under leadership of NASA Johnson Space Center to build a series of incremental flight demonstrators for the proposed Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) for the International Space Station. ... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ...

Aerospace applications

Lifting bodies pose complex control, structural, and internal configuration issues. Lifting bodies were historically eventually rejected in favor of a delta wing for the Space Shuttle. Data learned in fast approaches with high sink rates would be used for modeling Shuttle flights.

However, such a configuration may have been less vulnerable to the wing leading edge failure which caused the second shuttle loss.^{[citation needed]}

The lifting body concept has been considered for many other aerospace programs, including the Lockheed Martin X-33, BAC's Multi Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device, Europe's EADS Phoenix and the Russian-European cooperation Kliper spaceship. This is mainly because of the three basic shapes usually analyzed for such projects (capsule, lifting body, aircraft) the lifting body offers the best trade-off on terms of maneuverability and thermodynamics. Look up aerospace in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The X-33 was a sub scale technology demonstrator for the VentureStar, a next-generation, commercially operated reusable launch vehicle. ... The British Aircraft Corporation, or BAC, was a British aircraft manufacturer, formed from the merger (under government pressure) of English Electric Aviation Ltd. ... The Multi-Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device (or MUSTARD) was a concept explored for the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) around 1964-1965. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hopper (spacecraft). ... Russian media coverage of Kliper spacecraft - Russias Channel One TV network. ...

Popular Culture

Much of the general public had never heard, or seen, anything about these lifting body designs until watching the 1970s television show The Six Million Dollar Man. The introduction footage showed the M2-F2, piloted by Bruce Peterson, crashing and tumbling violently along the runway. The cause of the crash was attributed to the onset of Dutch roll. Bruce Peterson survived to fly again and, the craft was rebuilt as the M2-F3. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a cyborg working for the OSI (which was usually said to refer to the Office of Scientific Intelligence, but sometimes was called the Office of Scientific Investigation). ... Bruce Peterson Bruce Peterson (born 23 May 1933) was an American astronaut. ... Dutch roll is one of an aircrafts flight dynamic modes (others include phugoid, short period, and spiral divergence). ...

Lifting bodies have appeared in some science fiction works, including the book The Mote in God's Eye, the movie Marooned (Special Effects Oscar Winner), with Gregory Peck and David Jannsen. The Discovery Channel TV series conjectured using lifting bodies to deliver a probes to a distant earth-like planet in the computer animated Alien Planet. Gerry Anderson's 1969 Doppelgänger used a VTOL lifting body lander / ascender to visit an earth-like planet, only to crash in both attempts. In the Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space computer game, a modified X-24A becomes an alternative lunar capable spacecraft that the player can choose over the Gemini or Apollo capsule. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Cover of 1991-03-01 paperback edition The Mote in Gods Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, was called possibly the finest science fiction novel I have ever read by Robert A. Heinlein. ... Discovery Channel is a cable and satellite TV channel founded by John Hendricks which is distributed by Discovery Communications. ... Alien Planet is a two-hour special on Discovery Channel about two Internationally built robot probes investigating for alien life on the fictional planet Darwin IV. It was based on the book Expedition, by sci-fi/fantasy artist and writer Wayne Douglas Barlowe, who was also executive producer on the... Doppelgänger was a 1969 Science Fiction film directed by Robert Parrish. ... The Hawker Harrier, one of the famous examples of a plane with VTOL capability. ... Buzz Aldrins Race Into Space (BARIS) is a space simulation and strategy game for the PC, designed by Fritz Bronner and published by Interplay in 1992. ... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ... Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of the United States of America. ... Project Apollo was a series of human spaceflight missions undertaken by the United States of America (NASA) using the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn launch vehicle, conducted during the years 1961 – 1975. ...

Body lift

Some aircraft with wings also employ bodies that generate lift. The Shorts SC.7 Skyvan produces 30% of the total lift from the fuselage, almost as much as the 35% each of the wings produces. Fighters like the F-15 Eagle also produce substantial lift from the wide fuselage between the wings. The Skyvan is a 19-seater twin turboprop aircraft manufactured by Short Brothers, at the time Short Brothers & Harland Ltd, and used mainly for short-haul freight and skydiving. ... The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle is an all-weather tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. ...

Apparently, because the F-15 Eagle's wide fuselage is so efficient at lift, an F-15 was able to land successfully with only one wing.

On the summer of 1983, an Israeli F-15 staged a mock dogfight with Skyhawks for training purposes, near Nahal Tzin in the Negev desert. During the exercise, one of the Skyhawks miscalculated and collided forcefully with the F-15's wing root. The F-15's pilot was aware that the wing had been seriously damaged, but decided to try and land in a nearby airbase, not know the extend of his wing damage. It was only after he had landed, when he climbed out of the cockpit and looked backward, that the pilot realized what had happened: the wing had been completely torn off the plane, and he had landed the plane with only one wing attached. A few months later, the damaged F-15 had been given a new wing, and returned to operational duty in the squadron. The engineers at McDonnell Douglas had a hard time believing the story of the one-winged landing: as far as their planning models were concerned, this was an impossibility.

List of Dryden Flight Research Center lifting body vehicles (1963 to 1975)

• M2-F1
• M2-F2
• M2-F3
• HL-10
• X-24A
• X-24B

Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The NASA M2-F1 was a lightweight, unpowered prototype aircraft, developed to flight test the wingless lifting body concept. ... NASA M2-F2 Lifting Body The Northrop M2-F2 was a heavyweight lifting body based on studies at NASAs Ames and Langley research centers. ... The Northrop M2-F3 was rebuilt from the M2-F2 at Northrop and redesignated the M2-F3 after the M2-F2 crashed at Dryden in 1967. ... The Northrop HL-10 was one of five heavyweight lifting body designs flown at NASAs Flight Research Center (FRC--later Dryden Flight Research Center), Edwards, California, from July 1966 to November 1975 to study and validate the concept of safely maneuvering and landing a low lift-over-drag vehicle... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ... The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). ...

Lifting body pilots and flights

* Wood, Haise and Engle each made a single, car-towed, ground flight of the M2-F1.

Milton Orville Thompson was a NASA research pilot selected as an astronaut for the X-20 Dyna-Soar program in April, 1960. ... Bruce Peterson Bruce Peterson (born 23 May 1933) was an American astronaut. ... Charles Elwood Chuck Yeager (born February 13, 1923) is a retired Brigadier General in the United States Air Force and a noted test pilot. ... James Wayne Wood was an astronaut in the X-20 Dyna-Soar program. ... William Harvey Dana is a retired astronaut. ... Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. ... Joseph Joe Henry Engle (born August 26, 1932 in Dickinson County, Kansas) is a former NASA astronaut and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. ... Einar Enevoldson Einar K. Enevoldson was a civilian research pilot for NASAs Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. ... Dick Scobee Francis Richard Dick Scobee (May 19, 1939 - January 28, 1986) was an American astronaut who died commanding the Space Shuttle Challenger, which suffered catastrophic booster failure during launch of the STS-51-L mission. ...

See also

• HL-20 Personnel Launch System
• Facetmobile
• Blended wing body
• Flying wing

The HL-20 Personnel Launch System was a NASA concept being studied by NASAs Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, based on an enhanced lifting body candidate for manned orbital missions. ... The Facetmobile (properly, FMX-4 Facetmobile) is a homebuilt aircraft designed by Barnaby Wainfan, a well known professional aerodynamicist and homebuilt aircraft expert. ... Computer-generated model of the NASA BWB. NASAs prototype of a Blended Wing aircraft Blended Wing Body, or BWB, designates an alternative airframe design which incorporates design features from both a traditional tube and wing design into a hybrid flying wing configuration. ... A Northrop YB-49 flying wing. ...

External links

• Lifting Bodies Fact Sheet (NASA)
• NASA Tech Paper 3101: Numerical Analysis and Simulation of an Assured Crew Return Vehicle Flow Field (The math of airflow over a lifting body)
• NASA Photo Collections from Dryden Flight Research Center
  • HL-10
  • M2-F1
  • M2-F2
  • M2-F3
  • X-24A and X24B
  • Short M2-F1 history
  • Some history of lifting body flight
  • Wingless Flight: The Lifting Body Story. NASA History Series SP-4220 1997 PDF