IPFS News Link • Military
This Rocket-Like Plane Could Have Been The SR-71 Blackbird Replacement
• http://www.businessinsider.com, David CenciottiThe aircraft had a takeoff weight of 92,000 pounds, a cruise speed of Mach 5 and 95,000 feet of ceiling; fuel weight was 37,600 pounds.
Several turbojets and booster rockets, some under development, were studied as alternative power plants to improve performance.
Unfortunately, along with several other supersonic and hypersonic designs, SA-2S remained on the drawing board since the success of the Lockheed A-12 and SR-71 programs made alternatives unnecessary.