Air Force’s Experimental Hypersonic Aircraft Disappears Again

[zorgon]

Air Force's Experimental Hypersonic Aircraft Disappears Again

I don't know what the hell is going on with the Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicle 2, but the Air Force just lost it again. Last year, the first Falcon vanished over the Pacific Ocean, leaving absolutely no trace.

Now it has happened again. The Falcon HTV-2 launched today from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on top of a Minotaur IV Lite rocket.

After successfully separating from the missile, the Falcon reoriented itself for reentry using its Reaction Control System. During the reentry, it used RCS and its aero controls to fly into Earth's upper atmosphere, passing to the pull-up phase, which put it in the correct altitude for the glide phase. In theory, during this phase the Falcon was going to test its aerodynamics and integrity flying at Mach 20, experiencing temperatures of 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit—enough to melt steel.

DARPA controllers at Vandenberg acquired signal from reentry to some time into the glide phase. At that point, only 36 minutes after launch, they lost telemetry contact never to get it back again. According to DARPA, the Falcon has automated self-destruction controls in case something goes wrong, but they still don't know what has happened. Two hours ago at the time of this writing they haven't followed up on their last Tweet.

Air Force's Experimental Hypersonic Aircraft Disappears AgainBack in April 2010, the first Falcon flew for nine minutes before DARPA experienced loss of signal. According to the Air Force, "the vehicle's onboard system detected a flight anomaly and engaged its onboard safety system-prompting the vehicle to execute a controlled descent into the ocean."

Why did the Falcon disappear again? To me, the answer is clear. In two words:

Lex Luthor. [DARPA Twitter]

http://gizmodo.com/5830061/air-forces-experimental-hypersonic-aircraft-disappears-again

[robomont]

i used a microwave override system like the one used to take down the drones in Iran.

free rides for any pegasus members who can pay for fuel.

really i think these are fake presents for the Chinese to waste billions on.

maybe a piece of foam broke off at launch punched a hole in the wing and then it burned up on reentry.
gotta love that one.

great story zorgon.

[Littleenki]

Yeaaahhhh, riiiigghht!

Disappeared....from the public eye maybe....

Darpa doesnt want anyone to know how successful the flight was, and if they are posting that it disappeared, that means, due to the fact everything our government says is a lie....that it is just fine sitting on a flight deck somewhere, having its computers downloaded and reprogrammed for whatever sinister mission it will be on next.

Or it crashed somewhere in the ocean..and they didnt have any f16s following its trajectory...once again...

Riiiiigghht!

Le

[LSWONE]

its computers downloaded and reprogrammed

Electronics calibration and test are a must after a re-entry. 

[PLAYSWITHMACHINES]

Hmm, how about they forgot to insulate the 2 pounds of H.E. that was part of the 'auto destruct' system

DARPA: 20 grand a month & i'm yours

[robomont]

Pwm. Lmao. Your probably right.

[zorgon]

Electronics calibration and test are a must after a re-entry. 

Look we all know what REALLY happened...

That new cloaking 'coating'... they forgot to hit the off switch and now they can't find it

[robomont]

Yea. There is no comment of tracking the crash.
maybe its orbiting earth in cloak mode.

I sure hope a followup report comes out.

[PLAYSWITHMACHINES]

That new cloaking 'coating'... they forgot to hit the off switch and now they can't find it

...it will probably crash in Russia somewhere.
It's just not their year, is it?

[Somamech]

"Dang we are so stupid, please report this to the news papers"

Me thinks not   

[zorgon]

...it will probably crash in Russia somewhere.
It's just not their year, is it?

Okay so... DARPA looses this thing,  and a couple days later Russia shoots down a 'meteorite' that leaves an odd smoke trail that is persitent for several hours... Hmmm

Good thing I am not conspiracy minded 

[rdunk]

"...it will probably crash in Russia somewhere".

Well, or possibly in one of two other more likely places.........................either in Iran, where some of our other stuff has ended up, or..................the Baltic Sea, as that seems to be a gathering place for such as this craft!! 

However, I do like the "cloaking" thought too - - - talk about being lost in space~~~

[zorgon]

Arriba Speedy Gonzales!!

[kdog]

Kind of reminds me of ironman.

[robomont]

But landing has got to be hairy.
from the looks of it i would say the space shuttle was easy compared to that fat dart.
Maybe it parachutes into the water nose down.