SPACE IN MINIATURE

The X-30 Aerospaceplane (or National Aero Space Plane NASP) was a technology demonstator. It was a single stage to orbit passenger and light cargo craft taking off horizontally from a runway, flying to orbit and returning to earth and landing like a standard airplane. The craft was to use scramjet (a supersonic ramjet) as propulsion and its propellants were liquid hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen.

It was also proposed that the X-30 could be modified into an airliner. By using the X-30's scramjet propulsion, flights between any 2 points around the earth at mach 12 would take less than 2 hours. For this reason, the aerospace plane was referred to as the Orient Express. McDonnell Douglas and Federal Express both showed interest in developing and using the NASP before the year 2001.

The X-30 was cancelled in 1993, after it was realized that the research had identified a tremendous array of problems which would have to be solved before a true aerospace plane could be put into production.

The Model

Monogram produced a Snap-Tite kit of the proposed Orient Express in 1988, in roughly 1/144 scale. It's a surprisingly sharp looking little six-piece model. I glued all the parts together, and painted the underside in Tamiya Flat Black, to simulate a heat-resistant coating. I then applied the supplied decals over a gloss coat of Future, and after all that had dried, coated the model with MM Acryl Flat to reduce the glare.

Reference:

• Introduction to space by Thomas d. Ramon, (C)1989 Published by Orbit Book Company, ISBN 0-89464-028-3 (paperback), page 168.
• http://members.tripod.com/~Anthony711/orientexpress.htm

Image: Front view

Image: Overhead view