According to aerospace reports, the upcoming Boeing F-47 sixth-generation fighter jet program is set to push modern engineering boundaries through onerous requirements that demand challenging technical solutions. To meet these demands, the program is likely to draw upon a vast range of accumulated aerospace knowledge, including countless historical experiments conducted by NASA. Among the publicly available research Boeing engineers could access are projects like the 1990s Laser Air Data Sensor (LADS) flights involving SR-71 Blackbirds, predating NASA’s better-known Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE).
NASA SR-71 LASRE Program and X-33 Background
NASA operated two Blackbirds—an SR-71A and the rare two-seat trainer variant SR-71B—borrowed from the Air Force, ultimately serving as the aircraft type’s final operator before retiring its experimental fleet in 1999. According to NASA records, one of the most notable projects conducted with these aircraft was the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE), which flew in 1997 and 1998. The research gathered flight data to support reusable launch vehicles and future hypersonic flight technologies. NASA stated that a 20%-scale, semispan model of the Lockheed Martin X-33 vehicle, an aerospike engine, and required propellant systems were mounted atop the SR-71. A major technical objective was obtaining installed engine performance flight data to compare with wind-tunnel results and to aid computational fluid dynamics-based design methodologies.
LASRE used a modified SR-71 as a flying testbed for an experimental linear aerospike rocket engine built for the X-33. The X-33 was an uncrewed, sub-scale technology demonstrator suborbital spaceplane developed in the 1990s as a precursor to the VentureStar orbital space plane meant to replace the Space Shuttle. According to historical timelines, the X-33 program was canceled in 2001 when the vehicle was roughly 85% complete by weight, with about 96% of its parts manufactured and its Edwards Air Force Base launch facility essentially complete.
Why NASA Used the SR-71 for High-Speed Flight Research
The SR-71 was built to fly at altitudes of 80,000 feet (24,000 meters) and speeds exceeding Mach 3, surpassing any other manned aircraft. This performance provided unique experimental opportunities. NASA described the SR-71 during LASRE tests as functioning like a flying wind tunnel that allowed engineers to gather aerodynamic data under realistic flight conditions. The testing formed part of NASA’s Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) program, aiming to slash the cost of reaching orbit via technologies like the linear aerospike engine.
By the time of cancellation, the engine was never fired in flight, but the program yielded valuable information on high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics validation, transonic airflow around unusual vehicle shapes, and cryogenic propellant handling. Because NASA published these results, companies like Boeing, SpaceX, and Blue Origin can access them. However, there is little public evidence that LASRE’s specific aerospike findings were directly incorporated into modern launch vehicles like the SpaceX Dragon, Falcon 9, New Shepard, or Starship.
Laser Air Data Sensor (LADS) and Potential F-47 Integration
One of the earliest major experiments conducted on NASA’s SR-71s was the Laser Air Data Sensor (LADS) project, run between 1992 and 1996. Traditional pitot-static systems measure dynamic pressure through forward-facing tubes and static pressure through fuselage ports. LADS tested replacing these probes with carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers that projected infrared light sheets ahead of the aircraft. The SR-71’s high altitude and high Mach number made it well-suited for evaluating these advanced air-data systems.
Did You Know? NASA used its modified SR-71 Blackbirds not only for aerodynamic and propulsion tests, but also as high-altitude observatories equipped with Jet Propulsion Laboratory ultraviolet astronomy cameras during the early 1990s.
While connecting the historical LADS experiments to the F-47 is plausible, it remains based on conjecture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the primary goal of NASA’s LASRE program?
According to NASA, the primary goal of the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE) was to gather flight test data on a sub-scale linear aerospike rocket engine and X-33 lifting body model to support reusable launch vehicle development and compare results against wind-tunnel data.
Did the LASRE rocket engine ever fire in flight?
No. According to historical program records, the engine was never fired in flight before the X-33 and LASRE programs were canceled in 2001.
How does a Laser Air Data Sensor work compared to a pitot tube?
Instead of relying on protruding physical tubes to measure dynamic and static air pressure, LADS projects carbon dioxide laser beams ahead of the aircraft to measure atmospheric parameters optically.
Is it confirmed that the Boeing F-47 will use optical air-data sensors?
No. There is no public evidence or official confirmation detailing the specific engineering solutions, sensors, or technologies integrated into the classified Boeing F-47 fighter program.
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