Orbital Sciences X-34
Orbital Sciences Corporation · United States · first flew 1999 · reconnaissance aircraft
The X-34 was NASA's unmanned reusable technology demonstrator designed to advance low-cost access to space and test hypersonic re-entry technologies. It was intended to be air-launched and propelled by a single Fastrac rocket engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × rocket, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Blended delta-body shape with twin ventral fins |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unmanned reusable rocket-powered technology demonstrator
- Blended delta-body shape with twin ventral fins
- Air-launched from an L-1011 carrier aircraft
Recognisable by its sleek blended-body delta form with prominent twin ventral stabilising fins, no vertical tail above the fuselage, and a single large rocket nozzle at the tail.
Specifications
- The Orbital Sciences X-34 has a length of 17.77 m (58 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.44 m (28 ft).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Orbital Sciences under a NASA contract in the late 1990s, the X-34 completed several captive-carry and unpowered drop tests beginning in 1999 but the programme was cancelled in 2001 before powered flight was achieved.
Variants
Three airframes were constructed; all were used for ground tests and unpowered drop flights, with no powered variants reaching flight status.
Where you'll see it
The X-34 was a research vehicle only and never entered operational service; the programme's propulsion and thermal-protection research contributed to later NASA hypersonic programmes.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.