Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
We were able to get down and dirty with the new hybrid blimp project at ADP. The Lockheed Martin P-791 is an experimental aerostatic/aerodynamic hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin corporation. The first flight of the P-791 was on 31 January 2006 at the company's flight test facility on the Palmdale Air Force Plant 42. It has a unique tri-hull shape, with disk-shaped cushions on the bottom for landing. As a hybrid airship, part of the weight of the craft and its payload are supported by aerostatic (buoyant) lift and the remainder is supported by aerodynamic lift. The combination of aerodynamic and aerostatic lift is an attempt to benefit from both the high speed of aerodynamic craft and the lifting capacity of aerostatic craft.
The Lockheed Martin X-55 Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA) is an experimental twin jet engined transport aircraft which might demonstrate new cargo-carrier capabilities using advanced composites. A project of the United States Air Force's Air Force Research Laboratory, it was built by the international aerospace company Lockheed Martin, at its Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) facility in Palmdale, California.
Scaled Composites
Our visit to Scaled Composites in Mohave, CA was unlike any other. We were able to get up close and personal with a number of projects here. You can really see the passion in each of their engineers. Loved seeing their newly aquired 747, which will be used for the new Stratoluanch project.
The Xprize
The group just outside of the Scaled Composites facility.
We want to sincerely thank both Lockheed Martin and Scaled Composites for two of the best tours of our trip to SoCal. More to report when time permits.
Time to finish my coffee and head to the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne facility. We’re meeting right outside an F-1 rocket!! Life sure is great!
