Page 36 - July - August 2019 - v3_june_july_2009_Neat

36 Tic Tac Sighting by Navy Pilots Solved

Superfast Military

Aircraft Hit Mach 20

Before Ocean Crash,

DARPA Says

A superfast unmanned military plane traveled at
20 times the speed of sound and managed to
control itself for three minutes before crashing
into the Pacific Ocean in a recent test, military
officials said.
The prototype Falcon Hypersonic
Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2), billed as the
fastest aircraft ever built, splashed down in the
Pacific earlier than planned on Aug. 11 shortly
after launching from California's Vandenberg
Air Force Base on its second-ever test flight.
The HTV-2 experienced some sort of
anomaly, prompting the vehicle's autonomous
flight safety system to guide it to a controlled
splashdown, according to the Defense Advanced
The DARPA Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV)-2 is a prototype that launches on
Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which
a rocket, reaches suborbital space and then re-enters Earth's atmosphere at speeds of about
oversaw the flight.
Mach 20. The vehicle is part of DARPA's Global Strike test program to check technologies
Despite the problem, the aircraft reached
for a global bomber.
speeds around Mach 20 (about 15,000 mph) and
was able to control its flight for several minutes, DARPA officials said last week that the the last two decades …"
officials said. Aug. 11 test flight collected more than nine
"HTV-2 demonstrated stable, minutes of data during the entire mission. Early history
aerodynamically controlled Mach 20 hypersonic The first test flight of the HTV-2 took
flight for approximately three minutes," said place in April 2010. That flight lasted about nine The agency that became DARPA was created
DARPA director Regina Dugan in an Aug. 14 minutes, also ending when the aircraft detected after the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik
statement. "We do not yet know the cause of the an anomaly and crashed itself into the ocean. [10 satellite in 1957. The first satellite sent to space
anomaly for Flight 2." Military Aircraft That Never Made it Past sparked a wave of worry that the United States
The HTV-2 is part of an advanced Testing] was falling behind technologically.
weapons program called Conventional Prompt An analysis conducted by an First called the Advanced Research
Global Strike, which is working to develop independent engineering review board prompted Projects Agency, ARPA's first priority was to
systems to reach an enemy target anywhere in engineers to adjust the HTV-2's center of gravity assert the United States' military presence in
the world within one hour. It launches on a and make several other changes before the space. At the time, the Space Race was in full
rocket, then comes streaking back to Earth at second test. Those fixes apparently corrected the swing. NASA was sending astronauts on ever-
enormous speeds, at times heating up to first problem, officials said. longer and more-complicated missions to bring
temperatures of nearly 3,500 degrees "An initial assessment indicates that the crews to the moon, which it succeeded in doing
Fahrenheit. Flight 2 anomaly is unrelated to the Flight 1 between 1969 and 1972.
DARPA officials said last week that the anomaly," said Air Force Maj. Chris Schulz, Meanwhile, ARPA worked on ballistic
Aug. 11 test flight collected more than nine DARPA HTV-2 program manager. missile defense; the fear was if the Soviets could
minutes of data during the entire mission. Another independent review board will launch a human into space, they might also use
The first test flight of the HTV-2 took look into what went wrong with the second the rockets for defensive purposes. It created a
place in April 2010. That flight lasted about nine flight test in the coming weeks, DARPA officials nuclear test program called Vela that was
minutes, also ending when the aircraft detected said. supposed to detect when a Soviet nuclear missile
an anomaly and crashed itself into the ocean. Editor's Note: This article was corrected was launched. Vela also was used for monitoring
according to the Defense Advanced to reflect that Mach 20 is closer to 15,000 miles compliance after the Limited Test-Ban Treaty in
Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which per hour than 13,000. 1963 reduced use of these weapons worldwide,
oversaw the flight. [Photos: DARPA DARPA stated.
Hypersonic Glider's Mach 20 Test] See the full page spread the HTV on Page 38. “As the Advanced Research Projects
Despite the problem, the aircraft reached Agency, ARPA was differentiated from other
speeds around Mach 20 (about 15,000 mph) and What Is Darpa? organizations by an explicit emphasis on
was able to control its flight for several minutes, 'advanced' research, generally implying a degree
officials said. The Defense Advanced Research Projects of risk greater than more usual research
"HTV-2 demonstrated stable, Agency (DARPA) is an advanced-technology endeavors,” wrote Richard Van Atta in a
aerodynamically controlled Mach 20 hypersonic branch of the U.S. Department of Defense. The summary of DARPA's first 50 years, published
flight for approximately three minutes," said purpose of the agency is to try out new on the agency's website.
DARPA director Regina Dugan in an Aug. 14 technologies and make them operationally “Given that the ideas pursued are
statement. "We do not yet know the cause of the ready, if possible, and to reach beyond current innovative, often revolutionary, they imply
anomaly for Flight 2." military technology to do something new. unknowns to the user in terms of how they will
The HTV-2 is part of an advanced “DARPA imagines and makes possible be implemented and how this implementation
weapons program called Conventional Prompt new capabilities for overcoming the will affect the implementer’s overall
Global Strike, which is working to develop multifaceted threats and challenges that lie operations,” Van Atta added. “To this end, the
systems to reach an enemy target anywhere in ahead. This makes a better, more secure future potential military users often seek to reduce their
the world within one hour. It launches on a possible,” the agency wrote on its website. uncertainty by encouraging DARPA to carry
rocket, then comes streaking back to Earth at “Precision guidance and navigation, stealth, forward the concept until these risks are
enormous speeds, at times heating up to unmanned aerial vehicles, night vision, and minimized.”
temperatures of nearly 3,500 degrees communications and networking are among the
Fahrenheit. technologies that changed the face of war over (Continued on Page 38)