Specifications                                            

Taraya V-1 to V-4 Initial specifications

Length: 52 metres (provisional due to variations in nose-cone length)

Wingspan: 31 metres (provisional due to variations in wingspan)

Height:  12 metres

Powerplant: Initial; 5 Lyulka AL-31F afterburning turbo-fans

Each rated at 12,500kgs (27,562lbs) thrust with afterburning total 62.5 tonnes of thrust

+ 1 hypersonic development engine 50+ tonnes thrust

Initial testing will have a rocket motor to boost Taraya to sustain Mach 7.4 for several minutes to assist engine testing, until engine can operate at speed independently.

Later tests: 2 hypersonic engines with coupled inlets and 1 or 2 hypersonic engine + one rocket engine for low orbital flights and HYT test parameters

Empty equipped weight (with 5 Lyulka engines: excluding the hypersonic engine) 43 tonnes

Maximum take-off weight: 140 tonnes

Payload allows for additional weight of hypersonic development engines of up to 30 tonnes each

Maximum fuel: 75,000 tonnes

Normal fuel: 40 tonnes - 20 tonnes for hypersonic flight, 20 tonnes for ascent, descent and reserves

Crew: Up to 7; aircraft to use pressurised fuselage from an unspecified existing aircraft.

Expected range at 150,000ft and Mach 7.4: normal fuel   9,000km

Expected ceiling 200,000 feet (normal)

 Up to 600km orbit (with rocket engine – J2000 test programme).

Maximum speed limited to Mach 8.0 during Neecenow development

Hypersonic engine V-max will be established after engine certification for the J2000 programme

MOMN configuration dependent; up to Mach 25

Take-off distance 1600 metres

Landing distance 1900 metres at MTOW without reverse thrust

G-limits +6.0   -4.0G

Nose cone research

Taraya will incorporate the ability to use different nose cones. There are several different aims with obtaining the right nose cone.

1. drag reduction
2. shock wave reduction
3. heat reduction for the entire aircraft
4. sonic boom reduction
5. lifting body and compression lift qualities
6. wake performance

The ability to use different nose cones will enable the testing of many different nose cone configurations in the real time hypersonic environment. Variable geometry nose cones may be also used to access the benefits of hypersonic nose-trim. Small changes in incidence may produce large reductions in overall drag, leading to reduced fuel consumption. Since fuel cost is a large component of flight costs, this could drastically reduce fare costs.

Taraya will be capable of having new wings fitted to the airframe, to test various geometries. Sweep is expected to be between 10 and 20 degrees since the swept wing is only of real use in sustained operation in the transonic region. Straight wings produce more lift which will assist in lowering approach and landing speeds as well as reducing the take-off distance required. The airframe takes the wing loading, much like an F-104 Starfighter, and the wings will bolt on, allowing a new set of wings to be fitted overnight.

The fuselage is of a tubular construction, much like airframes of the 1910’s and 20’s. This type or style of airframe will permit bolt on
Geometric fuselage skins to test operational capabilities of various types of heat resistant skins; with monocoque structures this is not possible since the skin forms the overall structural strength.

These skins will help to see if principles such as area ruling are helpful or of hindrance to overall flight performance. Materials will also be able to be compared, leading to lower production costs. They will assist in finding the optimum compromise in fuselage design by the old fashioned method of trial and error, and considering the ability to test hypersonically in wind tunnels is limited, these original, successful methods must be reverted to. With three different fuselage skins there will be differing advantages, perhaps some at approach speed, transonic speed and cruise. Once the best and second best is found, the most efficient will likely occur in between.

Nose cone temperature will be over 700 degrees Celsius from air resistance, but the rest of the fuselage stays well below this temperature. Although too hot for Aluminium, most composite materials should be able to withstand the average skin temperatures of around 200 degrees Celsius. Extreme cold plays another part since the upper atmosphere is bitterly cold. Taraya will assist in finding ways to reduce the airframe temperature during the descent phase.