Lost at sea. Military loses contact with hypersonic test plane
By Adam Levine
Military researchers conducting the flight of the fastest unmanned aircraft ever launched said Thursday an "anomaly" caused a lost contact with the vehicle nine minutes into its flight. The plane is believed to have crashed in the Pacific at some point along the planned flight path, according to a statement from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), which conducted the test.
The Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicle (HTV-2) had successfully separated from the launch vehicle and was performing "glide phase" maneuvers meant to test its aerodynamics when contact was lost, according to an 11 a.m. (ET) Twitter post from DARPA. A tweet, at 12:30 p.m. said downrange trackers were unable to relocate the HTV2 but the vehicle "has an autonomous flight termination capability".
The vehicle was launched by a Minotaur IV rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, before separating and re-entering the atmosphere over the Pacific. The launch, originally slated for Wednesday but then scrubbed because of weather, was not broadcast live.
This was the second run for the craft. In April 2010 ended with the aircraft crashing into the Pacific after a loss of contact nine minutes into the flight. But those nine minutes provided some key information about flying 22 times faster than a commercial jetliner.
Thursday's flight was to test control and communications capabilities, as well as heat resistance and other effects of hypersonic flight. The nine minutes of data demonstrated that launching the aircraft was mastered but they continued to be stymied in controlling the vehicle at Mach 20 speed.
"We do not yet know how to achieve the desired control during the aerodynamic phase of flight. It’s vexing; I’m confident there is a solution. We have to find it," said Air Force Maj. Chris Schulz, the DARPA program manager.
DARPA's goal is to create the capability of reaching any target in the world in less than an hour.
The triangular wedge of zoom is capable of reaching Mach 20 – approximately 13,000 miles per hour – according to DARPA. At such speeds in Earth's atmosphere, friction subjects the vehicle to temperatures of more than 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
As DARPA said on the HTV-2 site, at that speed "air doesn't travel around you – you rip it apart."
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0NBMPMfQ8I&w=425&h=349%5D
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
This just proves without a doubt there is no god!! where is your god now that we can travel mach22!!!!!
what's that gotta do with anything? post something that makes sense.
Not sure what God has to do with traveling at that speed... Except blessing those involved with the intelligence to develop such an aircraft.
Sorry, I don't see the connection..
God bless you.
This program is testing the scram jet engine that will power the next evolution of obital craft to continue our exploration of space, not as a devi e for making war. The tech involved will be paired with an electro-magnetic accelerator to launch large payloads into orbit at a fraction of the cost of the old shuttle. Monies invested in such programs have been very successful in stimulating the science and by that also the econemy of the US.
Thank you – somebody with information a bit deeper than those posting on here with who have understanding of the program but posses a truly shallow understanding of science and a willingness to prove their bias and ignorance with the pounding of a few keys.
Socialist!!!
Just hope it doesn't hit our cruise ship on re-entry!
I think you have been reading too many SciFi mags. This is another prototype killing machine (that fortunately does not work). The payback from military spend is astronomically low when you consider what the return would have been if a fraction of that same money had been spent on scientific non-military-directed research.
50 years of funding for NASA cost less than the TARP bailout (DeGrassi-Tyson quote)
Good to know DARPA tweets about its projects.
Amway
Jim just spilled dipping sauce onto the circuit board and then linked it off! #papajohns #darpa #Minionian
hurry up and get me of this cave man rock!
"That's what she said." – Minionian
I bet if it had a flux-capacitor it would have been a success
This is going to be used to kill people all over the world in record time, so doom on people that aren't Americans.. now shut up and do as we say
way to be pessimistic.
Wow – toltally lacking in vision – one dimensional thinking – and a bit paranoid aren't we??
Man, a little knowledge is a bad thing. People end up thinking they know everything.
Not lost, well yes LOST, it just catapulted thru time to an island in the pacific island that was one owned by DHARMA and inhabited by people from a crashed plane. Wait that is DARPA not DHARMA. Hmm New TV show.
It's not lost. I think I saw it cut in front of me on the 55 this morning on the way to work.
This is going to be used to kill people all over the world in record time, so fu ck everything about this technology.
Amen to that!
Yeah, we wouldn't want to have technology that could maybe...oh, I don't know...take out a hijacked plane before it crashes into a building. How do you know the technology is going to be used to kill millions (and the voices in your head don't count as a reliable source)?
That was demolition dummy
Someone get DPatriot some more tin foil.
Demolition – LOL! Debunked 50 times over.
If you mean kill the competition, as in other pizza chains, yes ... Papa John's will dominate the industry with this new technology.
What people fail to comprehend is this technology can also be used for air breathing launch vehicles that could be used in a 1st or 2nd stage launch vehicle to orbit. If successful it could reduce size and cost of orbital launches by reducing the amount of oxidizer that is now carried onboard. There have been past attempts with hypersonic propulsion, this one gets us one step closer.
Agreed, we should stop paying taxes for everything I disagree with or don't understand. Hyperbole rules!
You should look around the real world sometime – maybe step out of your box occasionally !
Everyone seems to equate a lost craft with "failure" or "wasted" dollars. They have telemetry from the working part of the flight and don't really need the phyical craft for the experiment to have value. These are early flight tests and are expected to fail. It is research and research is and should be risky. More importlandly this is space-flight and is by it's nature very risky. Ever see the video of the dozens of "failed" murcury and gemini tests? They learned from each and eventually got to the moon. Of all the money spent on this project, a small fraction goes into the physical test vehical and they almost NEVER reuse these things. Perhaps they made software of design flaws that contributed to the crash. If they discover what those were, then the test is a partial success. We are yeras from even military applictions of this technology and decades from commercial sivilian uses. You have to start somewhere. If you disagree and think we should be spending money elsewhere, fine, but don't point to the crash as the reason this is a bad idea.
Thanks for this comment, Brian. Most comments are cynical and ignorant.
Like
Agree
Yep. Lots of people that have no idea how research is conducted or how hard it is.
Bill
And that's how you pi$$ away millions of $$$ 🙂
lmao. yep, it record time.
Yea – like the billions we waste on social programs that go right into the hands of the corrupt – or the meidcare that is sucked up by make believe clinics and doctors – or the stimulus money that went to non-existant congressional districts. That was an EFFICIENT waste of taxpayer dollars rather than a program that might stimulate future high speed transport designs.
Lacking in vision on your part maybe?
Yeah, we should let other countries develop new technologies, that's the ticket....wouldn't it have been great if we didn't have to p*ss all that money away on computer technology too?
A yeah, you think with such an important and surely expensive piece of equipment you would put like 100 GPS traking devices in it in case 99 of them broke.
And the weight of those extra 99 GPS trackers would guarantee the vehicle crashes. Nice solution, but I think I will ask someone who isn't talking out of their but.
It went so fast it disappeared! That's flippin' awesome.... great success!!!
Yeah that's just awesome.
Millions more of tax payer dollars dumped in the ocean, but no one can ever mention cutting defense spending without being labeled unpatriotic.
Our government is a joke.
Norm: I agree with you and FU: The point is this–there are countries around the world who pay almost nothing for this kind of garbig, nd have a way higher standard of living. And they wonder why the US of A is struggling. We finance stuff like these war toys and feed people around the world while we have 50 million people who have hungry families.
Historians will write about the rise and fall of America while we are still trying to figure this out..
The flux capacitor attached to this rocket sent it back to 1955 to detonate against Sputnik thereby creating a divergent timestream. This all happened once the rocket hit the speed of Mach 20.
It's designed to be mistaken for an airplane so the enemy doesn't know what hit it, and doesn't suspect it was a missile. Credible deniability, so we can say it's you neighbor who dunnit. The same deniability when they say the test failed, but could actually have been a brilliant success. They wouldn't let us know about the Stargate either, if they ever find one!
Now we can start a war inside an hour.. so, that's a good thing.
yes
Or end one.
I like your thinking, btw do you see that black flash that just went by your window?
umm no... now we can 'end" a war in under an hour.
You really think it takes a hour to start a war? Sure if Obama told off North Korea over the phone we could be at war in 5 minutes. Sure most of our 20 year old ICBM could hit most targets with a nuclear warhead within a hour.
another example of misplaced priorities of our military industrial complex. How much did this little toy contribute to the national debt?Will somebody tell these clowns in Washington to stop this nonesense. This is just morally and fiscally irresponsible when are trying to reduce our debt. This program should be the first to go when the blue ribbon committee meets to cut trillions in wasted spending!
Are you saying the United Sates of a America DOSEN'T need a hyper sonic weapons delivery system capable of hitting any target in the world in under an hour?
yes, yes they do
Right, there are so many powerful enemies all around us, constantly threatening us, must spend more on war! Or at least line someone's pockets.
Why not? More DETERANCE or woud you rather fight who ever is attaching in your own back yard?
I agree. It would be interesting to know in which state and in whose congressional district the various components of this boondoggle are made.
Better to cut spending on welfare for lazy bums that don't want to work.
Its all about jobs! Or should I say job security!
I think that at the time that is what the public thought of the Wright Brothers too. In fact they had several failures including one of the brothers almost getting killed in a crash.
You say that this is just a waste of tax payer dollars, but step back just a little and look at all the jobs that this has created and the trickle down that this causes. Also, with every discovery in science (military especially) there are many advancements in science that we use everyday to make our lives easier. So before you start pooh poohing all the spending to do something new, think about all the above mentioned.
"The latest tweet, at 12:30 p.m. said downrange trackers were unable to relocate the HTV2 but the vehicle 'has an autonomous flight termination capability.'"
-
Yeah. It's called "crashing."
Haha, wow. Flight Termination.
Sounds pretty technical...
Most big rockets have a self-destruct package for range safety reasons, so you don't have a big projectile going out of control and possibly hitting people if there is a malfunction. You also find these on other, smaller test vehicles and stuff. The controllers can send a destruct signal if the thing goes off course, but a lot of the self-destruct packages are also activated automatcally if telemetry is lost with the vehicle.
also called, self-destruction sequence .
I knew this looked familiar. It's the same image of the Alien ship in 1986's " Flight of the Navigator " Google the image of that and there will be one of him in some light speed made that looks just like this ( only cooler ). I can't post links to it though.
No kidding.
It looks identical.
This is our government stealing billions in tax dollars and lying to us about what it was used for.
Who can prove otherwise.
We ALL need to stop paying taxes RIGHT NOW!
That is a good point. How do we know they actually ever built it, or actually ever launched it, and ever really lost what didn't exist?
lol ever wonder where they get this technology from? ..that looks or is a UFO. our government needs to stop lying to us and tell us everything they know 😉
So you're going with the aliens are real theory? Better crush the aluminum foil a bit tighter, but Glazorb the Magnificent's transmissions from Alpha Centauri aren't coming in clearly for you right now.
your comment is so clearly ignorant, if you think we are alone in this massive universe we belong to you are clearly ignorant ;).. where do you think they got ideas and the technology to make that thing fly?
Lorie's tin hat is a tad too big!!!
Lorie,
Do you think the same guys who can't hide their mistresses could manage to hide our possession of alien technology? Really?
Is man incapable of accomplishing anything on his own anymore?
I'd imagine in an aeronautics laboratory somewhere. I believe it has something to do with physics.
It was detected by a Vulcan ship on a routine survey mission and beamed aboard for further study....
Humans have all the knowledge required to build such a vehicle. You just need to understand the science behind it. It's like the moon landing conspiracies. If you know Newtonian physics, then what it takes to get to the moon is a fairly simple set of calculations. (Building a machine that will achieve those required speeds and accelerations safely and reliably is the hard part!)
It's not hard to get an object to hypersonic speeds (just put a big rocket on the back end). Sustaining that speed, controlling the vehicle, and dissipating all the heat from air friction are some of the challenges in present day technology. Those are probably what this test plane was designed to test solutions to.
I knew this thing looked familiar ..... Welcome to 1986 :
h t t p: / / gorkabnitrix.free.fr/CGM%20Project/Images/1986%20-%20Flight%20Of%20The%20Navigator. j p g
I thought the same thing when I seen the pic...
Boy, I sure do miss the days of the $700.00 toilet seat! Can we just go back and buys those "useful" items instead, it may cost alot but it does have a proven and practical use that can be applied over and over for many years. Unlike our expensive aircraft that is a one hit disposable wonder that simply falls into the sea after one use.
The $700 toilet seats and $400 dollars hammers were not because the items cost that much or even that they company charged the DoD that much. They were used to Hide money payments to companies for "Black" Aircraft Examples include the F117 Stealth Fighter, the B2 Stealth Bomber, and Lockheed Prototype Stealth Bomber. A common way to discover what if any project a company is performing is the track the payments from the DoD or DARPA to the company. And remember these purchases took place in the 1980's when we were worried about the KGB. So instead of issuing a contract and then sending the Company the money you buy a $5 dollar item from them for $400 dollars. Buy a hundred thousand at this inflated price and you have 39.5 million in payment for the Company to use for your project, with no one being the wiser.
Aren't they worried that another plane could crash in to it? And could this have anything to do with the UFO like flahes of light that I saw between Phoenix, AZ and Puerto Penasco, Mexico in 1996?
No. Im sure its crashed into the ocean by now. Also no, those lights where UFO's belonging to extraterrestrial aliens you seen that night.
What an idiot! Are you kidding? Maybe this plane time travelled back to 1996. Yeah, right.
Reading the tad bit of pieces from the article, and everyone’s opinions; I have concluded that Santa Clause is sick, and NORAD wants to make sure the little kiddies get all their toys for Christmas, but that is only if they can find thing. Better hurry up and find it, Christmas is only 135 days away….
Here is a Christmas Clock for you guys to help.
http://www.xmasclock.com/
II wonder how many U.S. made UFO's are out there roaming our skies?.
a documentary about the making of the U-2 spy plane said that something like over half of all the UFO sightings reported at the time (early 1950's, I think) could be traced to test flights of that plane. probably happens a lot with secret testing of experimental aircraft, drones, balloons, etc.
u have to take it to space first? how lame! not to mention how expensive it would be to fire 100 of those, it probably eats up crappy US economy as it is. this stuff is waste of money
The cost of this failed test could have saved Ethiopia.
a box of condoms would have saved Ethiopia
AGREED 🙂
"Saved" Ethiopia for how long? One year? Two years until it starts all over again? Sounds like you're the one who needs to be saved from your own brilliant ideas.
we're firing teachers and cutting social security and medicare but heaven forbid we try to cut 'defense' projects such as this. good job politicians. this is sickening.
Yea, never mind the fact that technology created for and by the defense department more often than not trickles down to the rest of society. What good are those schools and teachers if the educated cannot use their skills on projects that can change the world? You probably were glad they shut down NASA as well....If it were up to people like you we would be stuck with technology from the 1700's.
You are all ignorant. It is time for you all to grow up. This is the United States of America. By the way, I like cheese. Do you like green shirts? Sandals are comfortable shoes.
It was already paid for, might as well fire it. It doesn't cost less to let it just sit there.
I saw this on a movie once.... it was most likely hijacked out of the air by China to frame the Soviets. So somebody needs to go to Japan and disguise as a local, and invade a hollowed out volcano with an army of ninjas and keep your eye out for a short bald man with a cat in his lap.
In related news, a swarm of Chinese soldiers have made their way into the Pacific coast with scuba gear and large nets...
Are you certain they aren't just looking to catch the last of the blue fin tuna? I understand Mitsubishi is paying top dollar for all remaining blue fins. Lets extinguish them and reap the rewards at the dinner table.
We all know that China just got their first air craft carrier. But what I love is America just got their first Space Air Craft Carrier (The Minotaur). Be honest what are you more afraid of a single air craft carrier against the US Navy or a single space air craft carrier that can delivery you a bomb in five minutes?
ICBM's are cheaper
Wait a sec here! NY to LA in 12 minutes? Only if there is no plan to land it. It would take longer than 12 minutes to slow down enough to land. And as far as using it to deploy any type of bomb, forget it. The heat from the friction of air will vaporize any projectile launched from it. Where are the practical uses for such tech.
Well Fast Eddie, seems you know more than the engineers and scientists working on the project. Should we just defer to you any and all projects in the future?
A Genius is born...sigh... Only a short sighted person would assume that. If they can make a plane that can take those temperatures, do you think they can make a bomb/projectile that can also? Remember at those type speeds if a SOLID object is ejected, the force that it would hit with would be monsterous. Please, if there is one thing the US will always be good at is figuring out ways to bomb people
Perhaps the plane is the bomb. That thing hitting something at that speed would be pretty effective.
maybe the plane itself is the payload, like a kamikaze plane from hell WWWHOOOOOOH
Fly the plane at mach 20 into the target, explode bomb, double whammy
But we need to spend this money to protect us from being invaded.
I agree with saving the money for better things, like saving to help the economy, but maybe no for being invaded.
Edward
You know I joking, right?
It travels faster than the speed of sound, of course you lost contact with it, your words are still trying to catch it. Meanwhile, in another dimension, people are wondering where this crazy contraption came from.
Commercial jets fly faster then the speed of sound. Have you ever looked up and saw an airplane and noticed the sound seems like it is farther behind it?
Also false. Only the Concorde traveled faster than the speed of sound. The reason commercial jets appear farther ahead than where we percieve the sound to be coming from is because sound travels so much more slowly than light. Thus, the sound reaches us later, creating the phenomenon you mentioned.
Um...no, commercial planes do not fly faster than the speed of sound and have not since the Concorde went out of service several years ago. If you are meaning to appear intentionally ignorant, I do apologize.
I like cheese
Uh, no, they don't. Only the Concord ever flew faster than the speed of sound....and you can't see sound either. Did you hurt your brain or something?
Sarah - Really? I hope you are a child in elementary school. Otherwise you should know that radio communications travel at the speed of light, not sound. Maintaing radio contact with aircraft travelling faster than the speed of sound is not a problem and has been reliably done for decades.
Touche Chris, I did some research after my premature comment and found just that.
Chill kids. I found Sarah's comment a source of imagination rather than a reflection of fact. Sounded like the basis of a fun story. Personally, I think technology is most likely far beyond what they're sharing with us. But cie la vie.
Sarah – Good one! LOL.
Sarah... that me laugh. Thanks for that!
Half of these responses are referencing a commercial use of this craft. Did you not read the article? This is a DOD based experiment. It will most certainly be used for some sort of military purpose, if its makers can ever get it to run right.
Regardless of its use or potential lethality it is plainly evident that such a spacecraft is costing the American taxpayers millions of more dollars that should be spent elsewhere.
If even half of the nation stood up and overthrew congress right now I guarantee we would all see some positive results to our nations woe's. The time for change is now. Do you really want the threat of a supersonic spacecraft that can travel at mach 20, but that cannot be controlled for more than a few minutes potentially crashing into your home? Didn't think so.
If that was the attitude of scientists throughout the ages, we'd have nothing but rudimentary technology today. It's because people are willing to take risks with resources, time, and lives that we have what we do today.
This is good R&D - mach 20 tests push the limits of conventional aerodynamics. Is it a commodity to push the limits of high technology?
So, you cut programs like this, get your budget cuts, and lose high tech jobs. People in this industry go to countries that can afford to develop high tech. Your country regresses. Then, high tech country takes over yours and you have to learn a different language.
Spending "zero" is not a option. Make your politicians work for you the constituent - "sticking to your guns" is bad politics.
The military is hoping to coin the phrase, "I will turbo nuke your country, foo!!!"
This isn't like crashing an R/C airplane costing several hundred dollars. Nope these things are very expensive budget busting teaching aids. Feed the children first,
it cost $350 million since 2003. A drop in the bucket for a shot at advancing technology
Site your source for the $$
This was according to bloomberg news
Is it a DeLorean? Was there a flux capacitor on board?
So, how many billions of my tax dollars were pissed away by this latest most excellent military fiasco? I like exploration such as this, but come on guys! In this lousy economy and with government cuts, can't you "brainiacs" do a test flight without pissing away billions into something that obviously had major flaws???
Smoothing landing, right on China's new aircraft carrier.
This is why our defense spending is breaking the country. These contracts, which are considered pork, for states like Ohio and Texas to name a few are the reasons the defense spending is not being cut. These states are bringing these contracts home to get the money. they don't care how they are breaking the economy. See where they had contracts and built 3 -300 million aircraft carriers. they were never used and they sent them to the scrap yard. It has to stop.
No, the defense spending that is breaking our country is unfortunately... war not experimental pocket change items like this.
This WAS the test flight, and it was SUPPOSED to end up in the ocean
I'm sure YOU paid billions of dollars in taxes.
You're worried about this little test flight and the "billions" it may have cost? How old are you? 12? Or are you 40 and have been in a coma for the past 30 years? Any idea what the Pentagon's annual budget is? What this incident cost would be the amount of loose change buried in the average couch at the Pentagon.
You have paid billions in taxes? Wow! Good for you!
So,the mythical and mysterious 'Aurora' aircraft exists after all. Now all that's left is JFK, Bigfoot, and the O'Hare UFO. lol
Don't forget Osama bin Laden's body!
This is a program to get military personnel to a location around the world. Not for the normal joe. Maines and Airforce have this as a budget item.
Uhh did u read the article? It said unmanned aircraft idiot. Which means that it actually doesnt fly people around. This isnt Startrek dude
Marines have this as a budget item, yeah right, I'm a Marine and can't even get a damn copier in my office! I don't even have enough workspace for my Marines. Maybe the Chair Force has this as a budget item. The Marine Corps is the little brother to everyone else, we get all the "hand-me-downs"
Mr. Wick: that's why the Marines are the few and the proud. By the way, what true Marine EVER needed a copy machine? Desk job?
This technology is not for passengers. It's for warheads. Folks commenting on here make some good points about the fact that it would not be re-usable, and that the kind of acceleration involved would squash people into jelly. But, the ability to deliver a warhead anywhere on the planet in an hour or less would be a significant upgrade to our offensive strike capability.
Read more carefully. This was an unmanned TEST vehicle. Not the actual vehicle. And we already have ICBM's that can deliver warheads around the world in a half hour. In fact one ICBM can deliver multiple warheads to multiple targets. We've had them for several decades. They need to start teaching history in school again. The only reason for a vehicle of this type is to deliver personnel. This way you would not need to keep special forces units stationed around the globe. You could get anywhere in a half hour. You can't do that in a C-17 or a C-5. Do a little research and you will find that this is true. This system could actually end up saving billions of dollars once it becomes operational.
my question is if we are so worried about our stock market and debt problem then why waste all the money in developing something so point less and the worst part is how much tax payers money funded the cockamimi ship and now look they lost the darn thing really i still think we should put projects like this in the trash and worry about educating the youth of america more since that is our future. seriously the way this country is going a elementry school class would be better then congress. so my message is to stop wasting everyones taxes on stuff that doesnt help the people in some way!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you 100%. This project must have costed millons in not more. People should be outraged and start calling thier so called leaders. I tend to call them the leading idoits but that's just me.
The money is not lost from the economy, but actually was paid out in the form of wages, and payments to subcontractors for materials and services.
So, actually it improved economy by creating jobs 😉
I agree – why pay working smart people to do R&D and further technology when we can pump it into welfare (/sarcasm).
The main problem with the DoD budget is when Congress members make the DoD continue buying stuff they don't want as pork for their constituents as a way to buy votes and get reelected. R&D such as this eventually helps the economy from ‘trickle-down technology.’ This benefits us when consumers are out spending.
Want to reduce DoD budget? First, cut it in half. We spend twice as much as the rest of the world combined. I like being number 1, but we can be #1 at half the cost. Next, any wars have to be paid for out of the existing budget – no extra money. This should make them think twice about doing any more than absolutely necessary. Enable success by allowing DoD to figure out what they want to spend their budget on and keep Congress out of that aspect of it.
IMHO
Spending more money of which we can't afford to spend .Or spend it on more fruitful domestic aid.
Could you imagine these thing used to somehow transport equipment... Even though I bet there going so fast they could only be used for bombs.
Jesus Christ! Hasn't anyone here ever heard of reconnaissance aircraft? Bombs are HEAVY payloads. Take a look at BOMBER planes sometime. They are huge, lumbering beasts, and virtually never go supersonic. The intelligence of the average American has definitely plummeted in the last couple of decades.
Uh, supersonic bombers have been used in the U.S. AirForce since the mid 80s and are hardly always giant and lumbering. Try doing some research yourself before trying to make someone feel stupid.
THIS THING IS A TIME MACHINE PEOPLE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ELSE BUT THAT
have you ever seen a cruise missle? or any missle? Did you know that this is 2011 and not 1940?
can i have sex with that thing please
Dude... YOU ARE MY HERO!
It was lost during a pre flight test? So I assume we spent huge sums of money for no useful data, as the actual experiment never took place? And what's the point of this anyway? Military? Can't we blow things up quick enough yet?
It's not about blowing things up. This is neither a fighter nor a bomber.
please yet for the next version
The point of this is evident, we're developing a new method of delivering pizza. Papa John's donated a massive amount of money to us and we're putting that technology to good use. Soon you'll have their delicious pizza, faster than you could ever imagine.
Sometimes things don't work out as planned and you nose-dive into the ocean or deliver a burnt pizza. Failing is a part of success.
It does not just deliver the pizzas, it cooks them as well.
You mean I could get my pizza before I even think to order it?
I've been in and out of this article and its comments and I conclude that you have no life sir.
Don't you work or go to school or something? You don't have anything else to occupy your time? Knock it off with the papa john's jokes, you lack originality... I think you posted your papa johns theory 4 times+
Original? yes, the first time.
After 5 times? not quite.
Yes this probably cost us plenty of cash but remember the project has been in operation for YEARS. The economy wasn't in such a bad position when this project started.
Never mind the anti-Papa John's machine. PizzaHut is trying to get in the game. 😉
Sir, this is not a joke. It's reality. I am spreading the word so that everyone prepares for the exciting new technology that Papa John's has to offer.
hahaha! love it.
This thing is very hot in flight and air around get ionized, disrupting radio contact.
I wander how they make any radio contact in this conditions.
frikken lazer beams man! lol
There is no civilian market for this thing. It actually goes ballistic – outside the atmosphere – so it has to endure re-entry. There is no substance known, including titanium alloys, which can stand the heat and mechanical stresses of multiple re-entries. Which means every time the craft is used, its outer surface has to be rebuilt at a cost of millions. If you have to replace the skin of an aircraft every time it flies, the cheapest tickets will cost more than $100,000.
You have to assume that point is a known one, which means that somewhere in the development plan for this is the assumption that materials technologies will advance to produce a reusable skin for this aircraft, or at least, a skin that can take more than 1 or 2 reentries. Either that, or this project will remain military until such advancements occur.
Ever heard of Starlite? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/5158972/Starlite-the-nuclear-blast-defying-plastic-that-could-change-the-world.html Yes, this solves all of the problems that you described.....
Dave, this is an amazing article!
More than 50 times Edison succeeded in discovering what a working light bulb WASNT before he discovered what it WAS. If you were Edison, we'd all still be in the dark after you gave up after the first attempt. Stay in your mom's basement and keep posting though, it's amusing.
I'm sure the skin is a spawn of the space shuttle skin. You can heat that to over 3000 degrees and it will survive. Also if the tiles did not come off, they were reusable.
It's not so much about the practical use. Putting forth the effort to do something like this is more about showing that they can do it.
LA to New York in 2 minutes.....still 2 hours @ TSA
I don't know where this Seth clown is from but he is a jerkass.
Funny that you call him a clown, when you yourself are in fact an ex-clown, laid off from Barnum and Bailey. That's right, ttr we've got your file here, you graduated from Clown College, summa cum laude. What do you have to say about that?
It would be nice if they would use this in commercial flights. I hate sitting for 5 hrs going from west coast to east coast.
You know what else would be nice? If you could shell out the $20,000 per seat needed for that kind of service, because it won't be Southwest operating it.
You did read the part about 2 flights, 2 cr4ashes, right?
Ok, two flights, and two failures; ever read up on how many failures the space program had in the days right after sputnik?
As for the G-forces, I doubt they are worse than the space shuttle was. Probably no more than 3-4G's.
Too bad this would kill you. I mean that literally- the kind of acceleration to do that would make you black out and die.
So has any media asked how UFOs tracked on radar moving this fast in the past, that change direction, and are visually seen, can do this yet we can't? Lets put one and one together: proof of craft that move this fast, yet we can't. So where's the follow up questions? Oh yeah...time to chuckle and laugh as we go to commercial. How is this not obvious to so many, yet only questioned by a few? Oh yeah there is no "safe" answer...only more scary questions...hide your head in the sand and go on with your shopping at Wal-Mart and let some debunker that makes up an answer tuck you in at night. Come on guys step up–ask the tough questions.
Here is a tough question for you, Dude! How do you like your pizza? And how would you feel if this pizza could be delivered to you in less than 30 seconds? Mill over that for a bit and let us know. We're going to go shopping at Wal-Mart for diapers, we'll check our fax machine when we return and see if you've answered it or not. Thanks for your support!
I like my pizza hot and apparently saucer shaped. Right now I only hunger for the truth...which seems to be lacking in our society's fear of addressing an issue we all know exists.
Lay off the bong, "Dude". It's turned you brain to jelly.
Yep typical brush off pitch from those that don't want to look at the facts from our own military reports. We can't do this yet someone has for (at least) the past 50 years. Marginalize as always, so you can sleep well tonight.
Los Angeles to Las Vegas in 60 seconds.
Would there be any time for the boring in-flight safety film?
Ladies and Gentlemen; One air-strike with a duck or false move by the crew and you, along with your flying comrades, will be spread over 100's of miles.
No time to prey, scream or text your loved ones.
Have a nice flight..
good, maybe they can use it to take food and medical supplies to needy areas around the world in less than an hour! Drop food, not bombs...
That's what Papa John's and DARPA plan to do! Thanks for your support!
All the best!
You were at that meeting? shhh.
Right, that's why the military is testing this craft...to deliver food.
Food doesn't quite have the explosive power of bombs.
Well... bean burritos...
Too bad Justin Bieber wasn't on it
Yea, 2 cents of 100 gazillion
I wonder if at that speed gravity acts like a magnet creating an electrical field that radio waves can't compete with? OR may be solar flares? Maybe they should test at night when the path would be sheltered from solar activity?
Do.... you have any idea what you're talking about? Because it sure doesn't sound like it. We don't know why gravity works yet, but we DO know it's different from electromagnetism.
I'm guessing it's a lot more likely there was a physical failure somewhere in this craft which was launched into orbit, re-entered the atmosphere (reaching temperatures of around 3500 degrees), and traveled at over 3 and a half miles per SECOND. That's a lot of stress.
no more stress than the ole bat gives her hubby.
Hey, thanks for the good laugh. You know in space the sun is always out.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW YOUR STUPID!
Wow, you remind me of that girl on facebook that thought the sun wasn't a star.
YES, the economy will improve tenfold because of this thing!!!
Ever heard of research and development? These are the things that the world wants to buy...that's how you make money by creating products no one else has and people will want.
Well Rob it is ok to make money, but I bet they are spending my money to support the gov project!!
LOLZ!
Who was the prime contractor?
Lockheed.
X Box 360.
actually, it was a knockoff from China, you know they can copy anything but it is still JUNK.
Xbox 360 is
microsoft idiot
To heck with it. I say, and I'll take a moment to quote myself (lol), "It's just money". "Spend it on the fun stuff before daddy makes us be responsible". 🙂
OK, Lets knock it off with the economy complaints and wisecracks. This thing was funded LONG before the bottom fell out of the economy in 2007 and has probably been in fab phase since then. Lets get off the high horses here! The fact is, projects like these are what contributed to Bin Laden's death and all the subsequent cheering and glass raising in your home town. Maybe if we had let the research team work a little more freely, the chopper wouldn't have crashed and Bin @r$ehole might not have been alerted.... we might have been interrogating his arse as we speak
You misunderstand. Or more correctly, I have not stated my opinion. My post that you replied to was for entertainment purposes only. I was having so much fun reading this entertaining thread that I just had to contribute to the hilarity.
I'm the LAST person on earth who would question (or even care) how much money is spent on R&D projects.
Falcon Punch!
The Chinese just launched their new shiny aircraft carrier. We just showed them what we're working on to render it useless.
Their carrier is old and rusty. More political posturing. (Not that it is not a threat, but still doesnt stack up to our eleven carriers)
We should worry about the Chinese-Russian converted carrier. In this day and age it is about who has the most money, something the Chinese have and we don't. Grow up boys.
It is neither shiny or new...it was a rusting hulk bought from the Ukrainians
Who cares what the Chinese creates after they've seen the innovative technology of the US let them slave and pine away competing. It's people like you who think countries like that are better and they are not. This country has many faults but we do many things to help other countries even if there is an agenda most times. However, you never hear about these so honorable and stoic people doing anything for anyone else.
Considering that its some rusty Soviet refurbished hull of a ship from the 90's, I dont know if you words shinny or new are applicable for the Chinese first aircraft carrier.
it's called sarcasm... wrong group..
We're the only country in the world that fields more than two carriers and the only one that operates their carriers well beyond regional waters on a regular basis. I think we'll be okay.
Jimmy Johns is Freaky Fast!!
LMAO!!!
Nice. Glad they raised the debt ceiling so they can fund projects that crash and burn. Literally burning our cash away. Might as well laugh else we'd all be crying.
It's not really literally is it, unless the craft were literally covered in money.
You stupid CNN... why is there "PUBLICAR" instead of "POST".
This is the English version, not MESSIKAN!
Says the genius who thinks "Messkan" or "Mexican" are languages...
Are you a MexiCAN? or a MexiCAN'T?
u mad bro?
LOL! he broke out the COD MW2 lingo! GG PWNED.
Wrong post. The "I'm threatened by other languages post" in on Breitbart's site.
This is so fricken cool!!!!!
I am happy to have my tax dollars spent on science and technology over pointless wars or abstinence only "education" nonsense, etc. We should also be spending more on science & math education and transforming our entire infrastructure to green technology. That's money very well spent, and absolutely necessary to keep our country competitive and more sustainably prosperous...and secure.
I would agree as well. So would we have Warp Drive if we took the money we have spent on Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade and used it for science R&D??
At least something close to it:)
BRAVO!!!!!
Next best thing to teleportation !!!!!! That is just totally awesome.
"Update 12:29pET- DARPA says it could not regain contact with HTV2 but the hypersonic wedge can terminate its flight autonomously."
The wedge has become self-aware.
Wait for the first comments regarding "rise of the machines" or that awful movie Stealth with the AI fighter jet. Jessica Biel was the only thing in that movie worth watching.
Please, calm down. It was a successful pizza delivery! The customer ordered a mushroom and sausage pizza and enjoyed it thoroughly. We'll start tracking it again when we do our next test delivery. Please ignore that nose-dive at the end of the demo!
All the best!
The customer did say the pizza was a little over-done though. I guess the 3400 degree oven might have been a little overkill
In some cultures burnt pizza is a sign of wealth....
But wait! Although my pizza did arrive at just about the same time I hung-up the phone, there weren't any onion on it like I asked. I attempted to reprogram your snazzy delivery vehicle to return the pizza. But my programming skills on your newest guidance systems seems to be lacking. Maybe next time. SuperBowl Sunday perhaps?
In all honesty, we don't support onions or onion technology.
Damn! I forgot to RTFM!
pretty crap simulator demo for something so badass
Let us see your simulator demo Mr. Expert.
Look, we're running on Windows 95 systems here, Papa John's only donated enough money for the flying wedge or slice (as they prefer to call it). You'll have to excuse the graphics. Wait until we apply the pizza paint job to the wedge. Soon you'll see pizza slices flying through the air at Mach 20.
Put that in your milk!
Well... there goes the 2 that didn´t give much information since all the wind tunnel didn´t predicted what happens really outside.
We had the B1B that could get normally to mach 4 (some military sayed that it could get to mach 5 but it couldn´t open the bay doors at that speed at the pilot didn´t had any control over it), since it was super expensive and it was the only first nuclear strike team in the world... it got axed.
Now they lost the second prototype of this new weapon...
Screw this, I want Warp Drive.
Complimentary adult diapers will be a requirement for all passengers and crew.
Complimentary diapers??? You can't even get complimentary peanuts anymore.
Pretty sure occupants would either wet themselves or crap their pants when looking at the speedometer. Although for comedy sake, needs to be the analog needle type gauge with a level called "Ludicrous Speed".
Actually they will have safety capsules for passengers made from the finest pine and satin lined.
Maybe FEDEX or UPS could use this. I'd love to have lunch delivered from a different part of the country each day.
I still think using these for kinetic strikes with tungsten rods would be a great deterrent. Gotta watch out once the old Asian women start driving them though....
The only reason America was ever on top is because of the great innovations made in the scientific community.
Yes, and that was in the 20th Century, now we are in the 21st and values and priorities have change if you haven't noticed. Haven't we learned anything as humans?
its not much different then a black mineral i've discovered same basic outline (streamlined) wish i could put the image up that nature not man produced has to be seen i guess to really be appreciated google vince lewis (the natural world) RockArt ' see what i am referring to nature is the Idea its up to mankind to bring it to creation .
Great. We will be able to fly from Zoo York To Lost Angels in 12 minutes but we will still have to get to the airport 2 hours early and the flight will still be delayed for 2 hours because of computers or weather. So this will be faster for us in the future. I'm sure by then the TSA will need a full naked rectal exam, MRI, DNA scan so that should add another 6 hours. Progress. Great!!!!! Gotta love all those well spent tax dollars for absolutely nuthin.
lol..."zoo york"
The SCRAM will deliver a particle beam to missles headed to destroy our satillites
You guys must be joking make me laugh about all this supersonic stuff.It belongs to the computer gone is the age of supersonic flight,shuttles,heavy lift rockets and many others. we going back to the dark ages. where are the test flights?
all you get nowadays is computer simulations.Cant even build a jetliner properly nowadays??
You sound scared. I would crap myself if I was china government.
Clearly you didn't read the article. this video was the re-enactment of the test flight based on the data they recovered from it. How do you think we got to the level of technology we have these days. test, examine results, test again.
hypersonic is not supersonic. big difference
Wow I love how a lot of these comments are about "HOW MUCH DID IT COST" and "WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY".
Our country is not supposed to be doing little things and putting the big stuff on other countries. We are supposed to be the country that does big things. Most of the time big things cost money. But it's worth it in the end.
Stop being so stupid.
Sometimes, but remember that we are in a ridiculous amount of debt yet that seems not to phase any of our elected leaders.
Lets see how we all feel when we NEED to cut our SS and Medicrap and all the other programs to pay for just the fund a stupied flight that crashed or is floating toward the moon right now. I'm all for advances and maybe if we get out of debt as a country we can start funding these projects again but i just witnessed my leaders go bat sh*t crazy on the hill about cutting spending and here we are spending more money we don't have. Common people wake the hell up.
Absolutely incredible. I love science. But I do wonder about the impact having hundreds of these (or more) flying through the atmosphere would have on the environment due to the wind and heat they would generate.
Really?
Given they would fly much higher (out of the atmosphere according to this article) than conventional aircraft, and for far shorter periods, the effects would be minimal.
They will have a lot of impact on chinese missiles. Making them useless.
y the need at theses bad economic times 4 such a craft that needs shuttle panels, 3500 degees just another space shuttle get the economy in good shape then bring on the new age stuff
Advancements in science are where you get the new jobs to repair the economy.
Exactly! Boening needs something new to build!
It's not like this is something brand new. This has probably been 10+ years in the making.
Why? Think about who's making it... the military. Think about the goal "anywhere in the world in 1 minute". Now add our economic situation to that. Of course under the guise of commercial transportation (economically unfeasible) stuff like this is announced, but in truth it's most likely a good way to deliver a nuke on enemy territory before the enemy has time to respond. Even if one of these wasn't nuclear, the sheer shock wave and pressure from an object with that mass hitting a target would destroy at LEAST a city. Why you ask? For the coming war.
"This chamber has no windows and no doors, which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!"
I can see the pictures above stretching and hear the scream! Thanks for the haunted house reference amist this babling.... and whats the deal with the post button saying publicar (hablamas espanol much????)
Waste of money and time
That's what they said when inventing the wheel
Says the chinese agent, while crapping his pants.
And if the so-called "Mainstream" 9/11 story is true, our main enemy used box cutters, flunked out of flight school and good old thuggery. A rich Saudi prince spent a couple thousand, not even a million, to do a billion in damage and countless trillions as the country went bug-nuts over what to it was a beesting...
And this is worth like NOTHING since if we use things like this openly against other nations, it's WW3 and it won't matter how fast we nuke them since most have remote triggers and automated systems to ensure "MAD" – heh look up Russia's "Dead Hand" for a real thrill/scare...
Oh, yeah, the next major "Rival" over the seas is China. But they don't need to fire a shot. Thanks to all the debt and trade advantages one administration after another has given them, thanks to all the jobs sent there to cheat the American his day's wages, they could instantly create a worse than 30s depression with a WORD. They don't need to fire a shot, and with our parasitic rich elite controlling the government, any "Progressive" measure is negated to ensure short-term profit.
What does this conspiracy shit have to do with the story? Go watch more Alex Jones.
and do we not have controlling influence over china? remember the chicken and tire tariffs from a couple years ago? they shit their pants.
Its been over an hour...do they not have a locator system on this thing? Last time it lost contact it fell into the ocean, how long until it stops and they can locate it?
there was never a plan to locate only track, they know where its going... to the bottom of the ocean they never reclaim these vehicles.
Funny, cause this is the 2nd flight for this "device", on the 1st run it fell into the oceam and reclaimed.
WOW, yeah cause it's the second one they build genuis thats why its called HTV-2. Read the article.
Are you frigging kidding me. How much did this little experiament cost us? The seems to be missing in the article.
Go away and bury your head back in the sand. We got your message: All innovation should end and we should become a third-rate country again blah-blah-blah...
What's the problem? Right? The US has tons of money to piss away on this garbage. I can't wait till the US crashes and burns. Likely in a matter of weeks. And they wonder why the rest of the world is laughing at them in their time of crisis.
You got my message load and clear. The goverment needs to learn to cut spending what they don't have. CUT CUT CUT. Until you can learn to pay your frigging bills yes innovation – goodbye for now.
It doesn't cost anything – just add it to the national debt and it's free.
Sounds like this puppy needs inertial dampeners in case some one wants to hop on board...All space tech roads lead back to the late great Gene Roddenberry. Don't worry Gene, we're starting to catch up to your extraordinary vision of the future and yes we know 13,000 mph is no where even close to 186,000 mps...oh well, bear with us a little while longer Gene...
Always wondered how they avoided collision with other aircraft during their tests? I have to assume there is some kind of device to track other flight paths? Or they test at an altitude above normal flight patterns? At 13k mph, there would be no chance for anyone who might be in the way.
they designate a temporary no fly zone.
There are/were a lot of avian causalities, lots of ducks, several pelicans. That's why all of the pizzas delivered come with an assorted mix of hot wings. I realize that we say it's chicken but let's be honest, it all tastes the same. Papa John's only uses the freshest ingredients. Further proof of that. Thanks for your support!
For defense purposes I can see dangers. Our radar doesn't have the range to give fare warning of their approach. As far as offensive purposes, limitless. I need one in my driveway.
There are only a handful nations capable of hyper-sonic flight. Of the top of my head: USA, India, Australia, Russia.
avro arrow from Canada?
Sorry the avro arrow was only supersonic, not hypersonic (speeds higher than Mach 5).
Yay! More money wasted! We could have fed starving people but instead, lets build a ridiculous little "plane" who's only conceivable purpose is to deliver nuclear weapons. This wasn't NASA folks, this was DARPA, so we can somehow use this thing for defense? They clearly have too much money.
I wonder how much of our tax dollars go to corporate welfare.
And I wonder how much of our tax dollars go to pay for pet pork projects, for certain senators and representatives.
And I wonder how much of our tax dollars are exploited by those who use Medicaid and Medicare, to finance their projects and enterprises.
It’s time to start holding our legislators accountable.
Perhaps we should give our legislators allowance, like parents do for little children.
Don't give them anything. See how many of those retards will work for free "in the interests of the Country."
Amen Teresa, thats what I'm talking about.
Don't worry, Seth! Papa John's and DARPA are going to bring food delivery to an entirely new level with this technology. You can rest assured that all of the starving mouths will be fed, preferably with delicious pizza from, Papa Johns!
Seasons Greetings!
– DARPA
Delivered in 30 seconds or less!
Yes let's dismantle the very agency that gave us the Internet and GPS. I say give them more money.
Al Gore created the internet!
Seth, we already spend billions on welfare countries. I think we are entitled to use some of OUR money for what we choose.
You are free to give all of your own money away to feed those who won't work. Just reach into your pocket and hand it out.
This is the sort of thing that 'may' be possible but, in reality, never will. The US can't even get to the ISS without paying the Ruskies to take them there. Maybe priorities should be re-examined?
The USA is a warrior nation, this fits the M.O. perfectly!
Its got the same shape as the craft (when transformed) from Flight of the Navigator, interesting..
Ahahaha that's EXACTLY what I thought when I seen the photo! Greatest movie of all time =)
how can fuel spill into the ocean from a glider? duh
Ha, this is no big deal. My wife already drives faster than that on the freeway!
So....I would like to know. Was there a cleanup effort after it crashed into the Pacific? Was there fuel spilling into our ocean? Just wish we would all take better care of our planet is all.
No, there was no clean up what so ever. They just left it and all the fuel in the ocean. Also they poored a little extra oil in just for good measures :/ Dude think before you speak.
It's a GLIDER...hello!? No engine thus no fuel.
For all the people that think that this can carry humans, how many Gforce before the body gives out to the pressure?, even fighter pilots use suits to help them?
G-forces arise from 'acceleration' not velocity. Once you are at ANY velocity, there are no G-forces.
That may be true about the g-forces but you would still have to slowly accelerate to that speed which would totally defeat the purpose of a high speed vehicle such as this. I don't think this is meant for humans.
Acceleration is due to a rate of change of a velocity vector. That can include the magnitude of the vector as in linear acceleration or the direction of the acceleration as in centripetal acceleration. There can be a positive acceleration with constant velocity if the object is changing direction.
True, but hitting the ocean at Mach 20 would certainly involve quite a bit of g-force.
unless your going in circles.
this kinda looks like a dream i had one time. the plane took about 20-30 minutes to get where it normally took several hours to fly to a location. the plane would hit a hight orbit and then proceed to "accelerate" very quickly. in this dream i had the plane was wider but the passengers were cut down to about fifty sixty....
lol who knows what advances this will produce for air travel.
yay my two cents
Take your two cents back, short bus.
I watched that episode of Star Trek too... I say screw the planse and bring on the transporters! XD
Dark Helmet: Light speed is too slow, we'll have to go to ludacris speed!"
Crewmembers: "Gasp!"
Colonel Sanders "Ludacris speed?!? Why sir I don't think we've ever gone that fast before. I don't think the ship can take it..."
Dark Helmet: "What's wrong Colonel Sanders? Chicken?!?"
Don't you mean "LUDICROUS" speed? The rapper I'm sure would be flattered, but his moniker wasn't around when Space Balls came out. No hope for young people.
This actually what inspired the lyrics in Ludacris' song, "Move B*tch" ...
This is also what inspired me to leave out 'is' in my previous comment...
Colonel: Are you alright sir?
Helmet: Fine, how have you been?
Colonel: Fine sir
Helmet: Good
Colonel: It's a good thing you were wearing that helmet
Helmet: Yeah,
Colonel: What should we do now sir?
Helmet: Well, are we stopped?
Colonel: We're stopped sir
Helemt: Good....why don't we take a 5 minute break?
Colonel: Very good sir
Helmet: Smoke if you got em'.........splat.
I'm having trouble with the radar, sir.