OT: The X-15

[Alex Eisenhut]

Everyone loves the X-15, no?

[jmelson]

Everyone loves the X-15, no?

OK, here's the computer that was developed by Honeywell for the later X-15s, to manage energy so they could arrive back at Edwards AFB at the right velocity and altitude to land.  They only got one chance, of course.

This is the Honeywell Alert, a 24-bit computer, one of the first to use integrated circuits, delivered in 1965.  it was built on 6 circuit assemblies each with two multilayer boards.  These were laminated together with a heat spreader, and then bolted together to heat cunducting plates that carried the heat to the baseplate of the cabinet, where a cooling system carried it away.  The computer fits in a 1/2 ATR rack, with a companion memory module next to it.  It cunsumed 25 A at 5 V.

Jon

[Alex Eisenhut]

I have a 25A 5V supply. Mail me the thing!

[rdl]

I remember reading somewhere that the success of the X-15 was the reason North American Aviation won the contract for the Apollo Command and Service module.

[harerod]

...OK, here's the computer that was developed by Honeywell for the later X-15s, to manage energy so they could arrive back at Edwards AFB at the right velocity and altitude to land.  They only got one chance, of course....

I simply had to look it up: glide ratio of 1:4. There aren't many aircraft with worse than the Space Shuttle's 1:4.5. For reference: with "normal" aircraft one would expect something better than 1:12.
Another thing is landing speed - 210kts+.

[Gyro]

Everyone loves the X-15, no?

OK, here's the computer that was developed by Honeywell for the later X-15s, to manage energy so they could arrive back at Edwards AFB at the right velocity and altitude to land.  They only got one chance, of course.

This is the Honeywell Alert, a 24-bit computer, one of the first to use integrated circuits, delivered in 1965.  it was built on 6 circuit assemblies each with two multilayer boards.  These were laminated together with a heat spreader, and then bolted together to heat cunducting plates that carried the heat to the baseplate of the cabinet, where a cooling system carried it away.  The computer fits in a 1/2 ATR rack, with a companion memory module next to it.  It cunsumed 25 A at 5 V.

Jon

There are an awful lot of bodge wires for something going that fast. 

[jmelson]

There are an awful lot of bodge wires for something going that fast. 

Oh, I didn't show the board with ALL the bodge wires and glued-on ICs.  It has so many, I'm not sure, but maybe that was sort of a breadboard for special I/O functions.  Note, my CPU is serial number FIVE!

With a serial # that low, it may have actually FLOWN on the X-15!  But, I think mine came from Emerson Electric, a big maker of radar and fire control systems back then.

Also, this was not a fligh control computer, but was used to present info to the pilot, only.  They DID have some very interesting displays in the later X-15, though.

Not sure if I can post the photo, it is likely copyrighted, but here's a link :

https://www.google.com/search?q=X-15+cockpit+photo&client=ubuntu&hs=ViX&channel=fs&biw=1805&bih=839&sxsrf=ALeKk01e0ZW311800vfvMNDuJwUsbPKluQ:1617409499760&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=Y-R5UKo5j84-QM%252CseLkeFlMp56qSM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQN5qwXDgAlMOmH9R9Fww6MBO81og&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJzsH15-DvAhUOCKwKHWd8BqgQ9QF6BAgMEAE#imgrc=KrY48JM3zR5NbM

I think the bottom center unit shows approaches to a runway, buttons below it are :
Rogers Lake
Grapevine
Mud Lake
And some others I can't read.

Jon

Jon

[rdl]

There was a time when wire was actually used intentionally as part of a circuit. Maybe not here, but something to keep in mind.

[Alex Eisenhut]

I simply had to look it up: glide ratio of 1:4.

I'd bet the F-104 has similar brick-like characteristics, with the X-3 Stiletto somewhere close too.

[cdev]

I remember reading somewhere that the success of the X-15 was the reason North American Aviation won the contract for the Apollo Command and Service module.

There is nothing quite like stationary testing of rocket engines. They make a lot of noise, deep rich noise you feel in  your chest....  Thy are hot too, as you might imagine. But to be up close and feel it is pretty cool. Very loud.

[Alex Eisenhut]

There is nothing quite like stationary testing of rocket engines. They make a lot of noise, deep rich noise you feel in  your chest....  Thy are hot too, as you might imagine. But to be up close and feel it is pretty cool. Very loud.

I did "stationary tests" when I was a kid. I bought model rocket D and E engines, dug a hole in the ground and put the engines with the fire hole pointing at the sky. It was fun, and the ejection charge was fun at ground level.

[harerod]

Quote from: harerod on Yesterday at 21:00:17

I simply had to look it up: glide ratio of 1:4.

I'd bet the F-104 has similar brick-like characteristics, with the X-3 Stiletto somewhere close too.

I bet that you already lost that bet, for both aircraft. Search terms "dead stick" or "glide ratio".
I only have experience with better than 1:10, but would prefer 1:5.5 over 1:4 anytime. And 80kts less for landing speed.

On the other hand - X-15 and Shuttle were designed for good handling in glide, plus adequate landing hear...

[mathsquid]

There is nothing quite like stationary testing of rocket engines. They make a lot of noise, deep rich noise you feel in  your chest....  Thy are hot too, as you might imagine. But to be up close and feel it is pretty cool. Very loud.

I did "stationary tests" when I was a kid. I bought model rocket D and E engines, dug a hole in the ground and put the engines with the fire hole pointing at the sky. It was fun, and the ejection charge was fun at ground level.

You had a fancy setup. The only "stationary tests" I did as a kid involved firing off bottle rockets with the stick stuck in the ground a little too far. 

"Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt POP!"

[TimFox]

Back in the 1970s, an X-15 (flying at very high altitude) was used to map the distribution of the black-body radiation background left over from the Big Bang.  A member of the team gave a lecture at the University of Chicago about the process and results.  They had to cut holes in the skin to mount two microwave horn antennas.  Lockheed had to bring back retired engineers to do the stress calculations, since the aircraft had a stressed skin structure.