Are Linear Wedge Shock Cones Practical?

[Spacescifi]

 

So we know about shock cones. Used with intakes to slow air for turbofans or turbojets to use.

It had me thinking... could linear wedge shock cones work?

I do not see why not.

Linear wedge aerospikes do, and they are arguably harder to make anyway.

Now I know some might say DRAG.

Yah. I know. 

But if one puts the spaceship on a rail and accelerates it to ramjet speed and launches it into the air, then even with the drag if one has a nuclear airbreathing engine and some suitable rocket propellant, there should be a way to keep it flying with as much propellant savings as possible.

 

So what say you, are linear wedge shock cones viable at all?

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Spacescifi

[sevenperforce]

Wholly practical. They are already used, in fact. The X-43 has one half of a linear shock cone forming its entire forebody.

[Spacescifi]

12 minutes ago, sevenperforce said:

Wholly practical. They are already used, in fact. The X-43 has one half of a linear shock cone forming its entire forebody.

 

Thank you.

I thought so... just needed confirmation.

 

I have found that real life science actually allows more variety for spaceship shapes than media scifi.

Since media scifi vessels are more often than not inspired by fiction/fantasy rather than reality, so that limits the choices of shape to arbritrary choices that are only governed by the rule of cool.

So in conclusion, I have learned that a proper SSTO can look several ways, and an SSTO with heavy payload is NOT an optimal aircraft... you wanna get that thing into orbit ASAP.

So SW odd looking ships dog fighting like fighter airplanes is very much fiction, since to optimize for that a ship has to have the shape for it and preferably wings.

Meanwhile if your vessel is mainly for space... why dogfight? Get to space already!

Edited March 30, 2020 by Spacescifi

[kerbiloid]

+1

In space the air drag doesn't stop your wings.

Air intakes also work better without air.

Edited March 30, 2020 by kerbiloid

[p1t1o]

yep, they're actually really common:

[Wjolcz]

10 hours ago, sevenperforce said:

Wholly practical. They are already used, in fact. The X-43 has one half of a linear shock cone forming its entire forebody.

Came here to say just this.

[farmerben]

17 hours ago, Spacescifi said:

 

But if one puts the spaceship on a rail and accelerates it to ramjet speed and launches it into the air, then even with the drag if one has a nuclear airbreathing engine and some suitable rocket propellant, there should be a way to keep it flying with as much propellant savings as possible.

 

 

I love it!

I think the NERVA engine could use an aerospike nozzle either linear or annular quite easily.  Because the NERVA uses a large number of channels of hydrogen gas as reactor coolant.  

Using an aerospike as the fuel injector within some sort of tube arrangement seems totally plausible to me,   Any intake systems in front or alongside the aerospike vacuum engine can deflect air into it.  A skirt behind an aerospike is acceptable if wide and short.

[Spacescifi]

4 hours ago, farmerben said:

 

I love it!

I think the NERVA engine could use an aerospike nozzle either linear or annular quite easily.  Because the NERVA uses a large number of channels of hydrogen gas as reactor coolant.  

Using an aerospike as the fuel injector within some sort of tube arrangement seems totally plausible to me,   Any intake systems in front or alongside the aerospike vacuum engine can deflect air into it.  A skirt behind an aerospike is acceptable if wide and short.

 

Well I like linear wedge shaped shock intake. cones because then they match the linear wedge aerospikes.

Plus it is is a bit of scifi that is actually a reachable goal to strive for... unlike FTL or warp which is more a necessary plot device.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Spacescifi