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Just hopping over from SpaceExploration

I'd like to know how realistic a use-case the DynaSoar spacecraft would be for a Titan descent craft, in terms of in-universe realism. I'm assuming no far-future tech, and a bare-bones non-fusion tech level. Basically, would it be a reasonable extension of the program it is derived from.

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  • $\begingroup$ Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking. $\endgroup$
    – Community Bot
    Jun 28 at 3:02
  • $\begingroup$ Cool, hopefully this helps! $\endgroup$
    – Anti Elon Guy
    Jun 28 at 3:16
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    $\begingroup$ (a) When you see that comment from the automated Community BOT, it means your question failed to pass Stack Exchange's automatic minimum quality tests for a question. That's a bad sign. (b) You are expected to bring everything that's salient to your question into this post. You're encouraged to use links to identify sources, etc., but you're not permitted to depend on them (that's probably why the BOT failed your post). (*Continued*) $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Jun 28 at 4:19
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    $\begingroup$ ... (c) Can you guarantee that you are the sole and only contributor to the linked page? If not, then you're asking a question about a 3rd party/commercial world - and that's prohibited on this site. In fact, (d) are you Mark Wade and (e) are you asking us if the Real World Boeing X-20 Dynasoar (or a variant) is suitable for a Real World application? That's not what we do here. $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Jun 28 at 4:19
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    $\begingroup$ @JBH the linked page is, as far as I can see, documenting actual historical information. It's not a 3rd party fictional world. Also, we answer questions about "could I do X with Y" all the time, real-world application is (sometimes unfortunately) not an issue. There are problems with the question but c, d and e are not among them. (What I want to know is what the parameters for "a Titan descent craft" are - does it just have to survive a single landing? Why would we take something designed for Earth operations to Titan in the first place?) $\endgroup$
    – KerrAvon2055
    Jun 28 at 4:57

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At the time the USAF was looking at an orbital space station that would function as a spy satellite. It would have a large telescope to see targets on earth. At the time such cameras used film. The Man Orbital Laboratory or MOL, was planed to use a military version of the Gemini capsule. This was referred to a "blue" Gemini as the USAF had blue dress uniforms. They were looking for an alternative that could land on a runway at a base to make retuning the film faster and with less chance of it getting lost. The DYNASOAR would be launched on a titan rocket, dock at the MOL, then separate and reenter with the astronauts and the film. It would glide back to the runway at an AFB and land.

When NASA took over manned space flight the USAF MOL program and military Gemini capsule projects were canceled. The DYNASOAR project continue to study the flight of lifting bodies.

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