Enter the Giants.
The United States have a choice of three heavy transports from the C-141 Star lifter, C-17 Globe master and the enormous C-5 Galaxy. This has proven invaluable for them as a world superpower over the years.
Initially the Soviet Union and now the Russian Federation to have developed their three types, but all from one manufacturer Antonov with the An-22, An-124 Ruslan and the An-224 Mirya (Dream).
Both superpowers have also the back up of their own large civilian commercials such as the Boeing 747-2/400F' and the Ilyushin IL-89/96.
These dominate heavy lifting capability around the world, in the moving of missile systems, radars, and extra warheads, The Boeing 747-400 and the Russian Antonov An-224 were adopted and developed for both the NASA Space shuttle and the Soviet Buran to piggy back between landing and relaunching.
Most of the aircraft are capable of the movement of between 150 to 250 fully laden combat troops, with essential equipment from vehicles to artillery. Apart from Surface to Surface missiles, there is of course the need to move medium range mobile carriers for Nuclear ICBMs.
Today some of these aircraft also work with the United Nations in medical and food relief to disaster zones.
Showing posts with label Buran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buran. Show all posts
Thursday, 18 February 2016
Thursday, 28 May 2015
Space and Under the Oceans.
The race is on?
The need now to develop a replacement of the U.S. Space shuttle is now well underway with Boeing taking the lead, all of this is based on British ideas from forty years ago of designing a re-usable space plane. The former Space shuttle was a great spacecraft, but it became a glider on return, Soviet Russia developed a totally robotic version known as the Buran, but it was also technically a glider on return to Earth.
Britain and Europe were working on a rocket aircraft that was manoeuvrable going up and coming down and could be diverted if the weather was causing problems. Meanwhile there are many new underwater developments, which are connected as much to future space travel to planets and Moons in our solar system, which may have oceans worth investigating either with robotic and eventually manned missions.
The need now to develop a replacement of the U.S. Space shuttle is now well underway with Boeing taking the lead, all of this is based on British ideas from forty years ago of designing a re-usable space plane. The former Space shuttle was a great spacecraft, but it became a glider on return, Soviet Russia developed a totally robotic version known as the Buran, but it was also technically a glider on return to Earth.
Britain and Europe were working on a rocket aircraft that was manoeuvrable going up and coming down and could be diverted if the weather was causing problems. Meanwhile there are many new underwater developments, which are connected as much to future space travel to planets and Moons in our solar system, which may have oceans worth investigating either with robotic and eventually manned missions.
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Aviation Lifters. Part-One.
From civil to Military.
Air freight is one thing, but to lift specialist loads aircraft have been designed for the job. Initially these types of aircraft started off as the heavy bombers of the early years in aviation history and during World War-II (1939-45) they were developed for the movement of mass troops and long range flying boats.
After the second world war there was a demand for the movement of main battle tanks and missiles components and so began the need for bigger and bigger aircraft.
Soviet Russia had its giant Antonov An-22, while the United States developed the C-141 Starlifter, Boeing 747-100-400/8, Globemasters 1-111 and the C-5 Galaxy.
Russia replied with the need for an aircraft to carry its robotic space shuttle Buran and so was born the Antonov An-124 Ruslan and 224 Mirya.
Air freight is one thing, but to lift specialist loads aircraft have been designed for the job. Initially these types of aircraft started off as the heavy bombers of the early years in aviation history and during World War-II (1939-45) they were developed for the movement of mass troops and long range flying boats.
After the second world war there was a demand for the movement of main battle tanks and missiles components and so began the need for bigger and bigger aircraft.
Soviet Russia had its giant Antonov An-22, while the United States developed the C-141 Starlifter, Boeing 747-100-400/8, Globemasters 1-111 and the C-5 Galaxy.
Russia replied with the need for an aircraft to carry its robotic space shuttle Buran and so was born the Antonov An-124 Ruslan and 224 Mirya.
Friday, 23 December 2011
Space Shuttle-II
Space Shuttle -II.
It was sad to see the retirement of the U.S. NASA Space shuttle program. I wonder when will there be a new one in the pipe-line?
Some would say 'it was nothing more than a glorified glider, rather than a powered aircraft.' But it did perform very well as a fine earth-space vehicle and was the only one of its kind.
NASA crews claim 'it was complicated to fly.' But I wonder why the robot technology used for the ill fated Soviet Russian Buran was not adopted into the NASA program, after the fall of communism?
It was sad to see the retirement of the U.S. NASA Space shuttle program. I wonder when will there be a new one in the pipe-line?
Some would say 'it was nothing more than a glorified glider, rather than a powered aircraft.' But it did perform very well as a fine earth-space vehicle and was the only one of its kind.
NASA crews claim 'it was complicated to fly.' But I wonder why the robot technology used for the ill fated Soviet Russian Buran was not adopted into the NASA program, after the fall of communism?
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