Looks like a variation of the spy drone used on the SR-71. Back in the day, some SR-71's carried a drone piggyback between its vertical stabs. The drone had the same wing shape but a single jet engine with a nose intake like the F-100 or more accurately like the MIG-21 with the protruding shock cone. The wings were the same as the photo in question but the intakes are different. Still stumped

 

I showed that pic to Melissa. We both agree that it's a definite possibility. That looks a LOT like what we saw. Interesting.

 

 

All those pics have similar bodies but no wing matches up with the photo. The body of a mirage jet looks pretty simiar but the wings.........Closest is that drone but that still doesn't match up.......hmmmm

 

I don't know anything about this, but this looks quite similar to your drawing http://www.fas.org/irp/mystery/aurora.htm

 

Of all those pics in that link, this one looks the most like it:

 

I don't want to be a naysayer, but I'll tell you a little I do know. I live out in the desert near a military base. Many fighter planes can make a loud boom sound even going subsonic (there many restrictions on supersonic flight). Also, there are many foreign military aircraft out here too, so not all is domestic. Additionally, Edwards is home to NASA Dryden, which have experimental aircraft with delta wing shapes. Many aircraft have minimum and maximum fuel weights for take-off and landing- aircraft done testing that have too much fuel on board do fuel drops which sometimes look like funny contrails. The desert is also very dry, so typically the only contrails you'll see in the summer are fuel drops, not engine exhaust.

I haven't seen anything with that particular shape yet, so I can't say for sure. It is fun spotting some neat aircraft flying by, particularly the newer ones. Next time, bring a camera!

 

To quote "Toy Story," the shuttle "falls with style." The shuttle's wings are designed to give it some maneuverability when it's close to landing, but the shuttle doesn't really "fly" at hypersonic speeds- it's more of a rocket going up, and uses drag on the way back down to slow it down- it doesn't try to sustain hypersonic flight.

As someone said earlier, that profile doesn't seem to be one for hyper-sonic aircraft. Supersonic shapes tend to be more straight edges, as that's needed to better disperse and reduce the effect of shock waves.

 

Station that is the closest pic I've seen to but the wing is again not 100% exact but maybe you have a diagram of what the underside looks like. Aurora looks bad ass though

 

I forwarded this link to "someone who would know", and the reply I got was:

"The govt. is testing some pretty wierd looking new UAVs"

I'd put my money on this brief 'lil statement.

Cheers-