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Why was hyper sonic cancelled?

Why was the X-6 nuclear powered aircraft program cancelled?

  • I didn't find much on why it was really cancelled. Only that it was abandoned based on the results. Anyone have any other info on how it performed and why didn't it perform as well as planned? Any projects on using nuclear power for tanks or any other aircraft? Why would it work and why would it not work?

  • Answer:

    The X-6 was an attempt at simply putting a small nuclear reactor on board an aircraft to see if one could be operated there. The reactor was never powerful enough to actually power the airplane, and despite the modest size of the reactor, the airplane (a modified B36) would have needed 12 tons of lead shielding. By the time the plane started flying, its purpose as a long-endurance-bomber-ready-to-strike-as… faded as new systems (submarine with ballistic missiles, land based long range intercontinental ballistic missiles in silos) provided similar deterrence at a fraction of the cost. While nuclear reactors could be immensely powerful, they do have a minimum size (in other words, there is a limit to how small they can be) and that, in turn, determines how much shielding is needed. A practical nuclear aircraft would have to be very large to offer real advantage over existing technology. In this age of stealth, it may not be a good idea for a military aircraft, other than transport, to be extremely large.

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Because of the weight of the reactor plus shielding for the crew. The old bomber could not carry much more. Second was the worry of a crash. How do you think the public ( in view of the paranoia over moving and storing nuclear waste ) would react to a live reactor flying over their homes?

BURLY

The most efficient nuclear flying reactor leaked too much radiation to make it feasible and the most leak proof reactor was so heavy that it impinged on the payload capacity of the aircraft.

The weight was prohibitive. Still is, for an aircraft. You have to build a container for the reactor, shielding for the crew, and also, the concept of nuclear power to run the jet engines has never really been proven to work. The purpose of nuclear power is to give a long range and long loiter time, just the same as nuclear ships and submarines. I don't know if nuclear power is really applicable to aircraft.

Steven

The weight of the reactor was great but the water to cool it was impossible. Could not sustain long flight. Nuclear power is converted to steam for the actual power.

Robert

Submarines use nuclear power... nuclear things that tend to either get blown up, or fall out of the sky tend to cause panic with taxpayers

Aside from all the other concerns like political worries, health issues, load weight etc, I would imagine a huge portion of the cancellation came down to the usual: MONEY. (or lack of)

Michael J

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