CCX

CCX on KSC Runway

CCX was the non-orbital certified structural prototype of the Agera-Class Spaceplane. The CCX was a 1:1 scale flight built version of the original Minmus capable SSTO.

The CCX differed greatly from the later production version *Agera*. However, through all the upgrades the Agera-class had received, the general hull and wing structure remains identical to the CCX.

SpaceLab

## Design History:

The CCX was the brain child of VVA's head engineer Jesko Kerman. The CCX program was a after hours design study for a commercial Minmus SSTO.

During the Explorer-Class Shuttle replacement OVX Program, the CCX was recognized by VVA's administration and given the green light for official development.

The CCX's capabilities were highly limited compared to other proposals. However, the possibility of Minmus SSTO and a Mun version down the line resulted in the CCX being selected.

CCX would be developed over a period of 9 years, during which the Explorer Shuttles were retired after the near loss of the *Challenger*.

The CCX had 2 cargo bays- a 2.5m long bay at the front of the craft, and a small ramp bay at the rear of the craft for a rover or other surface bound payloads.

The CCX would roll-out after 6 years of development and 2 years of construction and testing. As opposed to the later production, the CCX would be equipped with 2x- KS-25x4 Mammoth engines.

## Flight History

As a non-orbital atmospheric test model, the CCX's 3 flights were all atmospheric tests. Regardless, they were still given the designations of SST (Single Stage Transport) 001 through 003.

### **First Flight (SST-001)**

The first flight was an unpowered launch flight from the top of the **Megalifter.** Designed to test the CCX structure on landing, the Megalifter launched the CCX at a height of 10km.

The CCX landed at the KSC main runway without issue.

### **Second Flight (SST-002)**

The next flight would involve an inflight abort attempt. The Agera-class was designated as having 2 options for aborts.

If the abort could be preformed before the last taxiway of the KSC, the CCX could slow by the end of the runway. This abort involved the forceful cutoff of all engines, with a valve that would prevent the engines from refiring. The CCX was equipped with 12 large parachutes at the rear of the craft.

Due to the weight of the craft on takeoff, the forces exerted on the craft to turn it around to land back at the KSC were deemed survivable.

The official post-takeoff low atmosphere abort required the craft to have climbed to 10km with an airspeed of 300m/s before the engines could be shut off. After that, the craft would go into a semi-steep dive to land at the disused island runway off the coast of the KSC.

During this flight, an unmanned fully fueled CCX with a 3t dummy payload was launched- the craft climbed to 10km before shutting off its engines, simulating an engine failure.

The CCX forward gear buckled under the heavy braking forces, but managed to survive. Otherwise, the landing was a huge success and only resulted in the front gear being strengthened. The CCX was shipped back to the KSC onboard a barge.

### **Third Flight and Loss (SST-003)**

While the CCX was not an orbital capable flight article, it had most of the workings of a flight capable model including a thermal protection system.

The original unpowered gliding flight (SST-001) was a slow shallow glide from 10km. The speeds only reached 250m/s, well below anything experienced by a reentering aircraft.

For the third flight, the CCX was flown out to the VVA Desert Base on the back of the Megalifter. A partially fueled CCX was launched, where it ascended to 60km, and accelerated to 2000m/s. The CCX shut off its engine and began a shallow 7.5 degree descent to the KSC.

4 minutes into the glide, the CCX was over the ocean at 1700m/s. The CCX made a slight pitch up maneuver to prolong the glide as it was going to fall short on the runway.

However, the plane started pitching up uncontrollably. As the AoA exceeded 35 degrees, the forces on the wings exceeded their structural limit and the lower port wing

## Flights

 SST-002
 SST-003