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Curated by: Not A Pound For Air To Ground (229 videos)
This video explores the history of U.S. Cold War research into lenticular, or disc-shaped, vehicles designed to withstand the extreme thermal and structural loads of hypersonic flight. It details the development of the "Pye Wacket," a saucer-shaped defensive missile intended to protect the XB-70 Valkyrie bomber by offering omnidirectional launch capabilities and high-speed stability. I also cover Bell's lenticular submission for the SAINT II "space fighter" program, for which Bell Aircraft proposed a manned, lenticular spacecraft capable of inspecting and potentially disabling enemy satellites in orbit. Sources: Amongst other things, this is an excellent and much more detailed resource: http://www.astronautix.com/p/pyewacket.html