Design Summary

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Shape

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 1

A wide fuselage was selected for the DragonFly; which is combined to a lifting body configuration for shorter take-offs and landings. The cross-sectional profile of the aircraft is close to that of the SR71, minus the exposed engines. The SR-71 overall dark grayish look remains.

Airframe

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 2

The airframe is in three sections: the cockpit, fuselage/cargo bay, and aft section. It is made of titanium-aluminium alloy and titanium, welded as monobody frames. All three sections are riveted together as a whole. The cockpit section is shaped like an arrow's head, and may include deflector panels for re-entry.

Fuselage/Cargo Bay

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 3

The overall shape of the fuselage is curvilinear and tapered towards the end -- akin to the look of a blackswift in flight. The cargo bay is 29M long, 6M wide, and 6M in depth, and enough space for 2 robotic arms. It contains a 2M by 2M docking box which is accessible from the cockpit's middeck. Cargo bay doors are 8.5M wide.

Cockpit

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 4

The cockpit section is 10M long, 9M at its widest, and wedge shaped. Carbon/boron carbide panels are used, same as for the fuselage. There are no cockpit windows, instead wrap around bendable OLED screens are used as cockpit windows. The cockpit section can easily accommodate 17+ passengers.

Streamlining

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 5

Streamlining is provided by the arrow-head shape of the front of the aircraft; and by the tapering of the cockpit and fuselage sections, all the way to the back of the aircraft. The look of the DragonFly©® fits closely to the aircraft pictured above. A set of elliptical inlets may be positioned underneath the aircraft wings.

Engines/Spikes

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 6

The set of engines are powered with a LOX/LH2/LCH4 OR 50-50/N2O4. The set includes two toroidal spikes, based on the J-2T-250K, providing from 1000KN to 1500KN, and 2 to 4 linear spikes, derived from the RS-2200, providing from 2500KN to 3000+KN. Regenerative, film, and radiative engine cooling will be used.

Turrets

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 12

Turrets are used to anchor the toroidal spikes and allow up to a 90-degree rotation. The turrets's casings are mostly spherical, and each casing houses a control momemt gyroscope. The toroidal spikes are used for vertical take-off and landing, and require a large expense of onboard fuel.

Air Inlets

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 14

The BlackSwift©® type of air inlets may be used to provide atmospheric oxygen. The incoming oxygen is compressed and super-cooled, and fed into the spikes. The air inlets, elliptical, s-ducted or spike-like, may only be used for additional drag needed for active deceleration, used mostly for final approach and landing.

Exterior Surface

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 16

The entire aircraft is covered with silica [BRI-18, LI-2200] and poly-amide 3D-molded panels. Parts of the aircraft, such as the nose cone, are re-inforced by boron carbide panels. The same type of panels protect onboard electronics. Final weight of the aeroshell should not exceed 12MT.

Foam & Coatings

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 7

The entire airframe is coated with a layer of silica areogel. Battery casings and electrical conduits are filled with foam areogel to prevent electrical fires. Aerogel panels are used between the cockpit's interior and the airframe for sound and thermal proofing. The conduits are made of carbon-fiber.

Interior/Furniture

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 10

OLED screens are used instead of cockpit windows. The furniture is made of aerogel blocks wrapped by thin carbon fiber panels (patent pending). Lavatories are placed at aft of the cockpit section. The console area is a touch panel, and is liquid-proof along with the screens.

Control Moment Gyros

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 1

The DragonFly©® is designed for HyperGlide™©® on re-entry. The VTOL version uses two CMGs embedded in the turrets, and a lone one, aft of the aircraft. The HTOL version uses a single shuttle-like RGA in the aft section. A conical magnetic shield is used on re-entry.

Fuel Tanks

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 8

Propellant mix is slush LH2/RP-1/LOX. LH2 and LOX are used to cool the aerospikes. The tanks are either HC-based, or made of 3D molded titanium and epoxy, and are protected by Linar. They are 4M in diameter, multi-celled, and are housed on either side of the cargo bay. At least 250MT of propellant is required.

Landing Gear/Wheels

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 9

The landing gear consists of off-the-shelf 8-wheel rear bogies, and a 4-wheel front bogie. The landing gear must be able to handle an MTOW of 475MT. The tires are made using a puncture proof design, and may be lined with kevlar and boron carbide. The landing gears, of the VTOL version, include pontoons for vertical landing.

Electric Generators

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 13

Methane or hydrazine generators are used to provide electrical power for onboard devices and machinery. Fuel cells and solar concentrators are used as backup. The use of our π generator and flywheel generators may be included. Bio-reactors and solar panels may also be used, for energy production.

Configurations

by DragonFly / Design Pane / 5

Several configurations were possible; but, only three were kept. The first was the DragonFly©®, and the second was the BlackGoose©®, with or without engines. The BlackGoose©® was derived from the BlackSwift SST©® by shifting all the aircraft's weight below the wings. The BlackSwift EST©® is a smaller passenger only space plane.

Launch Capability