Space Forum / Shuttle / July 2004

Yes, indeed. In the 1960s there was a USAF program called ASSET
(Aerothermodynamic/Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Test).  Modified
Douglas Thor and Thor-Delta boosters were used to launch small hypersonic
glide vehicles on ballistic trajectories. The heavily instrumented ASSET
vehicles provided information on aerodynamic forces and heating, hypersonic
lift-to-drag, materials performance, and vehicle maneuverability. ASSET
would obtain much of the information expected from the much larger
Dyna-Soar/X-20 vehicle in the unmanned suborbital flight phase (Dyna-Soar
was cancelled in December 1963 without making a single flight).

There were actually two types of ASSET vehicles,  both built by McDonnell
Aircraft): the Aerothermodynamic Structural Vehicle (ASV) and the
Aerothermoelastic Vehicle (AEV). Both types had a 70-degree delta wing with
a 10-degree upward tilt. They were pretty tiny (5-6 ft length and wing span)
and weighed only about 1100 pounds.  There were four ASV flights and two AEV
flights. ASV-3 was recovered from the Pacific Ocean and was in pretty good
condition.

Your idea sounds more like a military MaRV (Maneuvering Reentry Vehicle).
There is info on the Web about these things, but the nitty-gritty remains
classified.

Later
Ray Schmitt