The
Lenticular Reentry Vehicle (LRV), according to a
November 2000 Popular
Mechanics cover story, was an experimental nuclear warhead delivery system under
development during the Cold War by defense
contractor North American
Aviation, managed out of Wright-Patterson
Air Force Base
in Dayton,
Ohio
.
The project was classified as secret in 1962 and cleared for public
release December 28, 1999. Its declassified technical report had
been compiled by R. J. Oberto, Los Angeles Division of
North American Aviation. His report
described the LRV as an offensive weapons system.
Popular
Mechanics obtained information on the LRV from a
Freedom of Information Act
request after documents describing the project were declassified in
1999.
Related research commenced during the late 1950s. The
Convair/Pomona division of
General Dynamics initiated a project
entitled Pye Wacket. Its purpose was to determine the feasibility
of developing a missile-defense system based on flying discs
(lenticular vehicles). Although Pye Wacket was terminated by 1961,
research had shown lenticular-shaped vehicles possessed sound
re-entry characteristics. Subsequently, research proceeded towards
developing manned lenticular re-entry vehicles during the 1960s and
'70s.
According to Oberto's report, the LRV was a 40-foot half-saucer
with a flat rear edge. The design-study documents indicated it
could support a crew of four men for six-week orbital missions.
Propulsion was from a rocket engine (either chemical or nuclear)
and the craft would also have contained an onboard
nuclear reactor for electrical power
generation.
The existence of the LRV program may lend credence to the
military flying saucers theory of
unidentified flying
objects. However, the flight characteristics of the LRV, as
described by these documents, are more similar to a standard
orbital
space capsule of the 1960s era
rather than the rapid motion and sudden velocity change
characteristics of many reported
UFOs.
As of the publication of the
Popular Mechanics article,
there has been no official confirmation as to whether the
Lenticular Reentry Vehicle ever flew.
References
- Oberto, R. J. (1962, October). Environmental control systems
selection for manned space vehicles. Volume II, Appendix I,
missions, vehicles, equipment. (AD333266).
- Parsch, A. (2003-2005). Pye Wacket [1]
- Hilton, W. F. (1958, April). Flying saucers: Are they best for space
flight? Aircraft and Missiles Manufacturing, pp. 50, 51,
82.
- Anderson, A. (1960, March). Force tests of lenticular
configurations at supersonic speeds. (AD0315671).
- Blanchard, U. J. (1961, September). Landing characteristics of
a lenticular-shaped re-entry vehicle. (AD263072)
- Maccabee, B. (1997). Acceleration.[2]
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