Lenticular Reentry Vehicle a Nuclear Warhead Delivery System

The Lenticular Reentry Vehicle (LRV), according to a November 2000 Popular Mechanics cover story, was an experimental nuclear warhead delivery system under development during the Cold War by defense contractor North American Aviation, managed out of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
The project was classified as secret in 1962 and cleared for public release December 28, 1999. Its declassified technical report had been compiled by R. J. Oberto, Los Angeles Division of North American Aviation. His report described the LRV as an offensive weapons system. Popular Mechanics obtained information on the LRV from a Freedom of Information Act request after documents describing the project were declassified in 1999.
Related research commenced during the late 1950s. The Convair/Pomona division of General Dynamics initiated a project entitled Pye Wacket. Its purpose was to determine the feasibility of developing a missile-defense system based on flying discs (lenticular vehicles). Although Pye Wacket was terminated by 1961, research had shown lenticular-shaped vehicles possessed sound re-entry characteristics. Subsequently, research proceeded towards developing manned lenticular re-entry vehicles during the 1960s and '70s.
According to Oberto's report, the LRV was a 40-foot (12 m) half-saucer with a flat rear edge. The design-study documents indicated it could support a crew of four men for six-week orbital missions. Propulsion was from a rocket engine (either chemical or nuclear) and the craft would also have contained an onboard nuclear reactor for electrical power generation.
The existence of the LRV program may lend credence to the military flying saucers theory of unidentified flying objects. However, the flight characteristics of the LRV, as described by these documents, are more similar to a standard orbital space capsule of the 1960s era rather than the rapid motion and sudden velocity change characteristics of many reported UFOs.
As of the publication of the Popular Mechanics article, there was no official confirmation as to whether the Lenticular Reentry Vehicle ever flew.
Epic Unease by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@randycampbell6307]

Just going to point out that "actual" (as it never got passed a couple of studies) mission and context of the LRV: It wasn't meant to actually be a 'bomber' but to carry self propelled missiles into orbit where they would be 'staged' as a deterrent to any Soviet attempt to attack the US. In context of the time it was felt that having missiles in orbit ("the ultimate high-ground") was the next likely development in the arms race. (This was the 50s) One of these would place up to six (6) missiles in orbit and stay with them as a "Command and Control" and maintenance vehicle for about two or three months and then be replaced by another LRV taking over the monitoring task. (All around "bad" idea from the get go but they didn't know that at the time) (Copied from another of my responses) I understand why @Hazygrayart used a variant of the Saturn as the proposed LRV launch vehicle would have been a bear to animate! The LRV launch vehicle proposed was a sled launched, rocket powered, (IIRC the original did not specify an engine but the study was used as a justification for the Air Force to start developing the F1 engine) winged recoverable first stage which mounted a two-stage expendable rocket with the LRV mounted 'on-top'. Needless to say it would have been a LOT more time intensive to build that animation :) The first stage would be boosted off the tracks at supersonic speed and would climb to 100,000ft or so and Mach 10 where the upper stages would ignite in sequence to push the LRV into LEO where the two engines on the LRV itself would be used to circularize and then rendezvous with the orbital missile farm Once on 'station' the LRV would deploy a large inflatable solar mirror and use it and a heat-engine to produce power. (Yep the old "mercury solar boiler and turbogenerator' concept... Again it's the 50s :) ) with a small nuclear RTG for launch and reentry power loads. Inside would be a small "shuttle/tug" that could be deployed to maintain, place and retrieve the individual missiles. As they would be liquid fueled they had to be occasionally topped off with propellant which as also the tugs job and if need be the missile could be brought inside the LRV hanger for maintenance and repair. Half the LRV was a vacuum maintenance/storage bay and half was living and working quarters for the four (4) man crew. The 'cockpit' section was actually a separable abort vehicle that had its own solid rocket motor and parachute pack for launch escape. Once the mission was done the LRV would fire the rockets to drop out of orbit and given its large volume but relatively light 'loading it would enter at a very high angle-of-attack, (in context the Lenticular vehicles used well understood ablative heat shields and a ballistic reenty) only dropping the nose to 'fly' once peak heating was past and the vehicle was approaching low supersonic speeds. Landing was accomplished on four large belly skids at Edwards or White Sands and the vehicle was delivered back to the launch base by a giant hot air balloon "anchored" by six heavy tanks. Lockheed later used the LRV as the basis for a proposal for a 12 person space station ferry using mostly the same planeform.

[@BugRib]

Yeah, that would be time-consuming to animate!

[@ajds]

This was gorgeous and scary. The Dune emperor-like music was creepy. The ending raised the hairs on the back of my neck. This was a Halloween special, right?

[@ultralaggerREV1]

Dune like music? Not even close

[@dziban303]

@@ultralaggerREV1 lol? It is extremely close to the music from the original Dune movie, just different enough to avoid copyright complaints.

[@dziban303]

@@ultralaggerREV1 to wit kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3aXoYOwp9Caqa8

[@rolflandale2565]

Had it remained in deep high exo orbit at time scales of a submarine, it could've been feasible tactics, the X-35 was accused if that, an AI craft, pending like a exo-marine geographical initiative war craft in space.

[@markxfarmer6830]

Longtime favorite (since finding some documents back in the early 90s related to the program - line drawings, intended mission, capabilities, etc.). Looking forward to seeing how you portray it. Keep up the excellent work!

[@fraser21]

Interesting concept. It seems like if the bombs will need to boost retrograde to de-orbit, it might make sense to put the payload doors on the back of the craft so the initial push can do some of the work.

[@cbuchner1]

I was waiting for the warp nacelles to swivel out

[@superkartoffel7479]

Yeah this looks like something from the mirror universe of Star Trek

[@deregapreyahvattaffdiff]

Goodjob! some inaccuracies I can spot according to the actual C-3 blueprint. 1. The first stage twin F-1 are mounted a bit farther apart and has no fins. 2. the second stage has only 4 J-2, not 5 only S-II (C-5) used on C-5 or Saturn V have 5 engines.

[@jmwoods190]

And the I believe that the C-3 actually has a smaller diameter than the C-5, and slightly thinner than the Shuttle ET/SLS core.

[@ptonpc]

Most times I watch these and think, "How cool would it have been to see that in flight?" This is one of those times when I am glad the concept was never operational.

[@superkartoffel7479]

This would really fit in the 20th century of the mirror-universe from Star Trek

[@michaelhopf3249]

Good work, which makes a fan of Area 51 stories more then curious!!! It wouldn't surprise me if the "Flaming Pumpkin Seed Craft", shrouded in legend with it's ominous "External Combustion Pulse Detonation Engine" is a scaled down and technically not less demanding Groom-Lake- offshoot of the Lenticular Reentry Vehicle Design work done many many years ago......and maybe a follow-on project for Hazegreyart!!✨️

[@rocketcello5354]

wow that shot of the nukes going off was terrifying

[@jddavis8431]

I love this channel, every video is awesome.

[@tarunantony1866]

Just for context, the launcher is the Saturn s-1c

[@Alex_White2010]

Why the Saturn V first stage for this launch has two f1 engines instead of the five f1 engines

[@aaronsmith8073]

@@Alex_White2010 probably because the payload wasn't intended to go any further than low earth orbit

[@datathunderstorm]

I thought it did look rather too big for a Saturn 1B......but those two rocket engines did throw me. Great, if rather depressing video at its conclusion - but hey! It sure looks like we're closer to Mutually Assured Destruction than ever before in the history of humankind.

[@andreabindolini7452]

@@Alex_White2010 Because this is not a Satun V. More like a Saturn C-3

[@VeilRemoved]

I love how the graphics feel like one of those exciting early 2000s or late 90s movies

[@thomasafb]

kind of hard to do a surprise attack with that thing....and then only a handful of warheads.....waste of money

[@theussmirage]

A modern MIRV ICBM could achieve almost the same result

[@loslaynes]

Looks like an early Star Trek prototype. Of course, something like that could have peaceful uses given that the nuclear bombs weight a lot

[@davidstuckey9289]

Indeed, similar ly shaped re- entry vehicles were planned as "lifeboats" for space stations.

[@gearheadgregwi]

No one got my Gary 7 reference. Oh well.

[@hookahmike]

It is sad that current events could be an inspiration for this video, as well-executed and relevant as it is.

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

I mean the B-21 raider is this just a whole load cheaper and more pratical.

[@LUIZ0798]

I love watching your videos 😊

[@aec007]

Love that BOND style music starting at 2:10... Epic!. LOL!

[@jemmygituwes1805]

Standing applaus for cameraman guy 👍 good job bro! 👏

[@fordlower2527]

This is actually a beautiful space shuttle concept:) if it was built in reality for delivering parts of space stations to orbit, I think it would be really nice

[@jmwoods190]

"And soon they're gonna have space platforms to drop nuclear bombs on us, like kid dropping rocks from a freeway overpass!" -Lyndon Johnson 1957(paraphrased version of this quote featured in The Right Stuff)

[@quitegonejim1125]

Awesome as usual - and congratulations on the 100k+ subs, well deserved! 😁

[@Wordshine77]

I saw one of these when I was a teenager. Or something that looked a lot like it. It was heading in the direction of an air force base and a bit behind it were two escort fighters like the ones used to follow the space shuttles when they came in to land. I read the Popular Mechanics article when it came out almost 30 years later.

[@stainlesssteelfox1]

The finale music is credited, but what about the music from the first part, starting at 2 minutes? It had an almost identical melody as the 1984 Dune main theme. Is it some sort of rescore or variation? The spacecraft was cool though. I have to wonder at the practicality of a nuclear delivery vehicle that requires a modified Saturn V to launch. It also so begs the question who were they firing at? Maybe the Highliner carrying the Harkonnen to Arrakis took a wrong turn and they decided while they were here to take over a 'primitive' Earth. But they weren't expecting a world without Holtzmann drives to have atomics.

[@UlmerCubingandMore]

So this is what happened in the Mirror Timeline of Star Trek?

[@superkartoffel7479]

I had the same initial thought. This could be they way the Terran Empire was formed.

[@RaderGH]

2:07 'Use of atomics is forbidden' Emperor: Battle for Dune

[@PaulZyCZ]

It was in the original novels which inspired Westwood, to be honest.

[@RaderGH]

@@PaulZyCZ True, just remembered the intro of the game for some reason. I have been a fan of all things Dune for a long time.

[@tardisnossa7510]

Wow! So was from this concept that the Star Trek/Wars's Enterprise was conceived? Fantastic!

[@MS-qx9uw]

I’m pretty sure this didn’t influence the Enterprise’s design, the video description says this was only declassified in 1999 while the original Enterprise design was from mid-60s (1964? I think). Also why the “/Wars”?

[@andreabindolini7452]

No.

[@tardisnossa7510]

@@MS-qx9uw because of extreme resemblance, and the two franchises of Star Trek and Star Wars.

[@tardisnossa7510]

@War never be solution! Remember that well! i was not certain. That's why I slash "/" between the two

[@X-JAKA7]

So that was the Saturn C we saw in the community post? Also, I wish we saw the reentry part as well.

[@titanbot11]

Epic, can't wait

[@rickyrodriguez5744]

Ohh, a smaller version of the NCC 1701 saucer. I wanted to see the reentry and landing. What a Jip.

[@stardude2006]

NCC not NC

[@superkartoffel7479]

Probably a predecessor. I could very well imagine this was the first apperance of a saucer-style spcecraft in the Star Trek universe which inspired the designers of the Enterprise NX-01 almost 170 years later.

[@squeaksquawk4255]

1) Why were there only 2 F-1s? 2) Why didn't you show us re-entry?

[@snibetisnab211]

1 : don't need to put more engines than necessary to achieve orbit 2 : probably too much work and less interesting than the start of a nuclear war we got instead.

[@andreikoto4810]

There's no need for re-entry, the earth is uninhabitable at that point.

[@vitalegvitalegov]

@@bobjohn8581 the hidden one. Almost no one will notice just a four small blasts, so they will just reentry, reload, and repeat.

[@alonespirit9923]

Wonder if that crew ever saw that movie about a bomb which had self-awareness?

[@andrew32155]

Hazegrayart could have had it deploy multiple warhead launching busses. Then it would have been "A MIRV Griffin Production"... (I guess you gotta be old enough.) And of course MIRV's were one among many innovations that made on-orbit nuclear systems unnecessary. Aside from the many massive drawbacks. Predictable orbit and targeting windows for the enemy, and launch and target inflexibility. Extra mass/expense for de-orbit delta-V. And limited, difficult, dangerous, or no warhead refurbishment and inspection etc.

[@TheMechanator]

Groan, and why put a platform in orbit along with just a few warheads. The world is going to end on a first strike from either side. MIght as well cram 100 500lb warheads in instead and only have a payload of 50 tons!

[@lloydbush]

Love the use of the Space Rocket History intro music!

[@fucyoutube4887]

Love it pal

[@curious5887]

Kinda reminds me of Omnidroid delivery shuttle from the movie Incredible

[@astrogarage2116]

Wait a minute, those aren’t rapid deployable aid packages for disaster relief ?

[@fatarsemonkey]

I think they would put some kind of a payload fairing around that. It's potential for a cataclysmic disintegration if it were to veer off course slightly would be too high for comfort.

[@paulblase3955]

Perhaps it was another Pop Sci article, but it said that 1) the lenticular craft was carried by a balloon to altitude for launching, and 2) that the crash of a prototype was what was found at Roswell. It should also be noted that a circular wing like this is very stealthy.

[@blurglide]

I don't get the point. It's like an ICBM with extra unnecessary steps.

[@andrew32155]

Exactly. But the original concept and design project was started when ICBM's were somewhat inaccurate and vulnerable to first strike because they were all liquid fueled and open-air launch from a pad and gantry tower. The improvements in ICBM's, hardened silos, better accuracy, and surprise short-warning capabilities from sub SLBM's, cruise missiles etc. Plus force multipliers like MIRV's etc. And some actual experience with real spaceflight, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, various satellites and probes had practical reality entering into what was really feasible. Nukes on-orbit was found to be impractical for many reasons. Predictable path and launch/de-orbit windows, extra delta-V to de-orbit. Limited, difficult, or no ability to inspect or refurbish nukes... the list is endless. The closest thing to actual deployment was the Soviet FOBS system. A single south-launched polar orbit warhead to bypass US/Canadian DEW line radars etc. And it was canceled too after a few tests. Too destabilizing to MAD, and the weight for full orbit vs. ballistic suborbital launch, and de-orbit thrusters etc. made the warhead small and not as useful etc.

[@vibrolax]

This is an example of a FOBS (fractional orbit bombardment system). In _2001: A Space Odyssey_, the first spacecrafts we see are "Satellites" that represent FOBS belonging to the US, USSR, China, and maybe one other.

[@SFSVERSE]

Nice 👍🏻

[@renanfeitosa101]

Do the buran warhead delivery system where it supposed to drop lifting body design type warheads

[@lspringerjones]

Love the James Bond type music.

[@rolflandale2565]

A concept that took place before missles could individually travel around the globe from point a to b.

[@chuckmesser2202]

It might have made an interesting space shuttle.

[@gearheadgregwi]

Where's Gary 7 when you need him?

[@cryingbug134]

It look so real. so spooky.

[@jmwoods190]

Great, and next- the giant Bono Saucer!

[@cesarg.e.5278]

Hermosa e increíble .pero destructiva.

[@grandicellichannel]

Dang looks like Spectre bought NASA and the Saturn V... its like watching a oo7 film scene.

[@Blueknight1999]

What models do you use?

[@amargoun]

Launch rocket of the vehicle, the Saturn C3.

[@eschtonmorgan1534]

today I learned lenticular means lentil-shaped. Lens from lentil.

[@silverfox8615]

The heavens are for wonder, not war.

[@dipakahir4688]

Love your renders but can you give us the specifications like payload to leo geo and tli etc. Also is that possible to provide that models for ksp and simple rockets 2 🙏🏾

[@mikecompton5418]

Wouldn't the bombs from orbital bomber have to retrograde burn to de-orbit to reach their target?

[@alanrogers7090]

Knowing how long it took to prepare Saturn V's for flight, to have this kind of mission would have been a premeditated act of aggression. Obviously there aren't going to be normal rocket launches in the middle of a nuclear war, there probably wouldn't be any infrastructure left to launch anything if we were hit first.

[@titanbot11]

Do you know what engines it would've used?

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

2 small liquid rocket engine maneuvering engines on the trailing edge! 😁👍👍🇺🇸

[@ThomasHaberkorn]

In orbit, inclination plane changes are pretty limited. Pretty useless compared to ICBMs, which can reach their target within 42 minutes.

[@FullyStaged]

2:22 Forgot the J2 engines?

[@gountzas]

Incoming "freedom", from space

[@kamipollna225]

Pancake bolted to a Saturn five

[@evaparker6089]

Could you do a destiny colony ship😊

[@dashfatbastard]

It's a third of the Enterprise D.

[@GABRIELARYA]

When star wars is real But nuclear war

[@tertiaryobjective]

Flying space beans!

[@EricDykstra]

Was the plan to just have a Saturn V derivative always fueled up and ready to go?

[@randycampbell6307]

Thanks for asking that so I can point out that the LV for the LRV was not proposed to be a Saturn at all. It didn't exist when the LRV was dreamed up in the late 50s. I understand why @Hazygrayart used a variant of the Saturn as the proposed LRV launch vehicle would have been a bear to animate! The LRV launch vehicle proposed was a sled launched, rocket powered, (IIRC the original did not specify an engine but the study was used as a justification for the Air Force to start developing the F1 engine) winged recoverable first stage which mounted a two-stage expendable rocket with the LRV mounted 'on-top'. Needless to say it would have been a LOT more time intensive to build that animation :)

[@PeacefulCountryLife]

oh boy :)

[@416dl]

Deltoid Pumpkin Seed...indeed.

[@badrinair]

Star wars vibes

[@ronaldjerrimmy4659]

WTF is this real if so that's really amazing

[@rodrigolefever2426]

Its not real idiot

[@imakequestionablecontent]

Damn the lrv is very light Cause the fact that it only needed 2 f1 engines to lift off

[@alonespirit9923]

Remember, the Apollo Saturn V was also lifting the weight of fuel which the upper stages needed to eventually burn to achieve escape velocity, this little disk ain't going to the moon.

[@vitalegvitalegov]

@@alonespirit9923 yeah, little disk, with 4 crew members, their living apartments, control room, hangar, nuke rockets, nuclear power plant, heating mirror, airframe, and then thermal protection of all that.

[@canaldoinfinitooficial]

Mission Complete: Discover the cause of UFOs

[@Eshanas]

I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed when I saw a document (from China of all things) showing that the LRV was launched on a rocket. Wished we could SSTO it somehow.

[@dimon-zg8ky]

Wow UFO

[@bjornthies6000]

Why use that space glider bomber when an ICBM would do the samen job?

[@PaulZyCZ]

Probably the idea of ICBM being stoppable or something among those lines. But I think it wasn't realized, because Soviets couldn't stop all the ICBMs even if they had a tech to do that.

[@GreenJimll]

No boost phase detection possible I'd guess: the target just gets MRVs coming at them from orbit at some point during the 6 week mission if things turned "hot". A bit like rods from god only with the complications of squishy humans in orbit and a load of nuclear warheads inside your reentry vehicle if WW3 doesn't start by the end of your mission.

[@theussmirage]

ICBMs are fairly predictable and can be tracked from launch, a space bomber in theory could take an enemy by surprise, dropping warheads on targets without warning

[@ivsonbarbosa2849]

Saturn VI Concept Rocket ?

[@balazsvarga8379]

For me the video not starts😅

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

The 'ol LRV! Do you know how many UFO reports the prototype for this was responsible for! 😱🤪🤣👍👍🇺🇸

[@ArcXDZ]

How the hell? You okay dude?

[@user-jq3qk2nq2q]

An orbital bomber. Nothing new. The Soviet Spiral system, according to the project, was also supposed to be able to drop a nuclear bomb on the United States.....

[@nhhfdyhvdfghh]

Ситхи против Джедаев.... 🦹vs 🧙‍♂

[@toothlesszilla9982]

The 666 nuke

[@kf4293]

Fascinating concept, and way to burn through taxpayer money, lol.

[@bubbajones6907]

That doesn't make any sense.

[@johnbuchman4854]

Biden and Putin playing Global Thermonuclear War...

[@andyc3088]

no point in being reentry there would be nothng left to reentry to

[@MEGACOLOBOK]

Why do we need a manned carrier? After all, he will have nowhere to go back to!!!👎👎🤦‍♂🤦‍♂😜😜

[@Sir_Uncle_Ned]

Back in those days it was much harder to get a computer to do what even a barely trained pilot could do

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

In those days a TMBUS was always used! 😱🤪🤣👍👍🇺🇸

[@MEGACOLOBOK]

@@Sir_Uncle_Ned It would have been justified in the sixties and seventies, but the concept appeared in the noughties!..😜😜🤦‍♂🤦‍♂🤓🤓

[@LDTV22OfficialChannel]

e

[@AtomcFish]

Ufo irl lol

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

Over 4 MILLION people died during the making of this video! 😱🤪🤣👍👍🇺🇸

[@PaulZyCZ]

I thought they were shooting Pacific? Guess somebody is going to be fired for pushing wrong button.

[@kanakirik2472]

Я казах но хочю служить в НАТО я знаю просто пишите пользо будет...ок

[@hedleywynyard2570]

STOP PROMOTING WAR

[@Delta-V-Heavy]

I don't think this video is intended to promote the idea of nuclear war. That last shot in particular, with the explosions visible from space, I think is meant to be horrifying and sobering, not triumphant.

[@fork9001]

It’s not promoting war…

[@Unbekannter_Mann]

Giving me star trek vibes

[@h.plovecraftn-4307]

H bomb Drop the age of space