Tupolev Tu-244

The Tupolev Tu-244 was a proposed supersonic transport (SST) aircraft, developed from the Tu-144. It implemented novel features such as cryogenic fuel to enable flight distances of up to 10.000 km (6.214 mi) and would have carried up to 300 passengers. The project was cancelled in 1993.

Tu-244
Mockup of the Tupolev Tu-244
Role Supersonic transport
Manufacturer Tupolev
Designer Tupolev
Status Cancelled
Developed from Tupolev Tu-144

History

The draft work began in 1979, and when the project ended in 1993 substantial progress had already been made during the interpretation. Specifically, the air resistance in the range of Mach 2 was only 50% higher than a conventional passenger airliner traveling at a speed of Mach 0,9.

The nearly-circular fuselage (3,9 m width, 4,1 m height) and the wing unit would have consisted to a large extent of titanium-composite materials. The engines were to be higher performance hydrogen-fuelled versions of the Kuznetsov NK-321 turbofan, used also with the Tu-160. Adjustable air intake ramps from the Tu-160 might have been included. Projected passenger capacity was 311.

Fly-by-wire was intended for flight control. Rather than using a tilting nose, video cameras were to provide the crew with the necessary view for landings.

Specifications

Data from

General characteristics

  • Crew: three
  • Capacity: 250/320 passengers
  • Length: 88.7 m (291 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 54.77 m (179 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 16.9 m (55 ft 5 in)
  • Wing area: 1,200 m2 (13,000 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 172,000 kg (379,195 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 350,000 kg (771,618 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 178,000 kg (392,423 lb) maximum
  • Powerplant: 4 × Kuznetsov NK-321 afterburning turbofan engines, 323.73 kN (72,780 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 2.340 km/h (1.454 mph, 1.263 kn) / M2,2
  • Range: 9.200 km (5.717 mi, 4.968 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 19.000 m (62.336 ft)

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References
  • "Specs", TU‐244, ES: TU‐144 SST.
  • Gordon, Yefim; Rigamant, Vladimir (2005), OKB Tupolev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft, Hinckley, UK: Midland, ISBN 1-85780-214-4.


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