OK, a couple more:
In most cases, when a mission is assigned, the mission is what is all important. Equipment can and will be sacrificed for the mission. The lives of the crew involved may, and can be, sacrificed in order to achieve the mission. WIth the Blackbird, it was the other way around: the aircraft came first. Whatever it took, the aircraft had to be preserved and brought back if at all possible. One reason is: nothing else could perform its mission. In addition, not just anyone could fly the old girl, either*. The aircraft and the crew represented an irreplaceable asset. Another reason is: they only ever made 50, total, of all variants, of the Blackbird. At least one, the SR-71B was not used for missions, it was a trainer only. 12 SR-71's were lost in accidents. 6 crew members were lost in those accidents.
* Many a fighter jet jock hotshot applied, and washed out. The Blackbird was an equal opportunity aircraft: if you flew freighters, if you flew fighters, you could try out. They did not need or want seat-of-the-pants jet jocks. They needed pilots and RSO's who could fly a planned mission, work together, work through problems popping up out of nowhere, and get back on the planned mission.
Atmospheric pressure at 80,000 feet is 0.25psi. One-quarter of a pound per square inch. At -60F. However, at speed, inside the inlets, with the giant afterburners blasting away gulping down astronomical quantities of air, the pressure was 40-45psi, at 950F. The spikes served to capture the shockwave of the aircraft's Mach 3.2 flight, funnel it into the throat of the inlet, slow it down to subsonic speeds, subsequently increasing the pressure and temperature. This represented a huge recapture of otherwise wasted energy. The Blackbird, by intentional design, literally supercharged itself on the shockwave of its own passage through the air. Let that one sink in for a bit.
In most cases, when a mission is assigned, the mission is what is all important. Equipment can and will be sacrificed for the mission. The lives of the crew involved may, and can be, sacrificed in order to achieve the mission. WIth the Blackbird, it was the other way around: the aircraft came first. Whatever it took, the aircraft had to be preserved and brought back if at all possible. One reason is: nothing else could perform its mission. In addition, not just anyone could fly the old girl, either*. The aircraft and the crew represented an irreplaceable asset. Another reason is: they only ever made 50, total, of all variants, of the Blackbird. At least one, the SR-71B was not used for missions, it was a trainer only. 12 SR-71's were lost in accidents. 6 crew members were lost in those accidents.
* Many a fighter jet jock hotshot applied, and washed out. The Blackbird was an equal opportunity aircraft: if you flew freighters, if you flew fighters, you could try out. They did not need or want seat-of-the-pants jet jocks. They needed pilots and RSO's who could fly a planned mission, work together, work through problems popping up out of nowhere, and get back on the planned mission.
Atmospheric pressure at 80,000 feet is 0.25psi. One-quarter of a pound per square inch. At -60F. However, at speed, inside the inlets, with the giant afterburners blasting away gulping down astronomical quantities of air, the pressure was 40-45psi, at 950F. The spikes served to capture the shockwave of the aircraft's Mach 3.2 flight, funnel it into the throat of the inlet, slow it down to subsonic speeds, subsequently increasing the pressure and temperature. This represented a huge recapture of otherwise wasted energy. The Blackbird, by intentional design, literally supercharged itself on the shockwave of its own passage through the air. Let that one sink in for a bit.
