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#1 2007-10-14 12:19:18

Terraformer
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From: Ceres
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,821
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Re: Cheap Space Craft

How much would it cost to build a one seater space fighter that could land, refuel, take off again, orbit the planet, scout asteroids... stuff like that, using off the shelf components. SpaceShipOne cost $25,000,000 to develop, but that includes design and testing. Is anyone trying to do this apart from governments and buisnesses? Why hasn't anyone done it yet? Contact me a ceres777@hotmail.co.uk if you'll help set something up. It can't be that expensive.


"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

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#2 2007-10-19 14:52:04

Terraformer
Member
From: Ceres
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,821
Website

Re: Cheap Space Craft

Right, own up, who said I should be in a mental asylum. And please can you explain why it wouldn't work.


"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

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#3 2007-10-20 06:49:10

Martian Republic
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From: Haltom City- Dallas/Fort Worth
Registered: 2004-06-13
Posts: 855

Re: Cheap Space Craft

Right, own up, who said I should be in a mental asylum. And please can you explain why it wouldn't work.

Why it won't work:

1. Space Ship One doesn't even achieve orbit, but only touches space, which was your example for making your fight that was to go into those asteroid.

2. To just send the Space Ship One into orbit, you would have to beef up the white knight which carried the Space Ship One up to it release point. You would also have to beef up the Space Ship One and put heavier heat shields on it.

3. If your using chemical rocket technology, then what trying to do is impossible, because of the physical limitation of using chemical for getting into space. That why we have to have multiple buster to send men into space. Space Ship One being carried by the White Knight uses Oxygen in the atmosphere for part of it fuel, but that can only help so much for getting into space.

4. You wanted a one man fighter to go to the asteroids, there is currently no such technology on planet earth or chemical process that can generate the power to build a one piece space craft with that will do that job.

Larry,

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#4 2007-10-20 07:40:47

Terraformer
Member
From: Ceres
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,821
Website

Re: Cheap Space Craft

The X-15 touched space. I know that had a carrier ship as well, but that was in the 60s. High altitude fighters reach the edge, I think. I got the idea after reading the "How much would it cost to build a Mercury Spacecraft today" thread. The craft would be a small water droplet shape (to minimize needed heat sheilding) with a rocket in the back with a parachute as well. Wings would be teloscopic and retract back into the sides during re-entry. After the risky part of re-entry (the friction) was over, the wings would shoot out and the craft would glide back to Earth. Fuel would only be used on launch and in space. If it was launched from a helium balloon it would cut costs further. A massive flight computer would not be neccesary. Most of the calculations could be done on Earth. The ship would just be a small cockpit with a computer with the rest of the space taken up with Oxygen and Fuel.


"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

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