Thread

NASA asked several former SR-71A staffers to help secret restart

327 points · 403 comments · ilamont

justin66 · 1790729101 · focus · HN ↗
> The Air Force and NASA destroyed a $600 million supply of spare parts for the Blackbird fleet in 2007. The move came long after it seemed unlikely, if not impossible, that an SR-71A would return to operational service.
There's also the issue of converting a tanker back so it can carry the SR-71's unique fuel again. And for that matter, making a supply of JP-7 again. No other planes today use JP-7.
"It's not my money!"
1. mrweasel · 1790778301 · focus · HN ↗
  That seems reminiscent of the Fogbank material in the US nuclear weapons. The process of making it was lost, and when it was finally recreated modern processes where to good and it still didn't work. In the end they had to compensate for the improved processes and re-add impurities.
  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tqlf31YTc" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tqlf31YTc

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