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A leap forward for hypersonic flight
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/di … t-00149606
The world’s largest plane released a hypersonic vehicle for its first powered test flight
https://qz.com/stratolaunch-first-hyper … 1851326137
also talk of Defense Contracts
'First steps are hard. They require careful planning, calculated risk, and most of all, courage. We took a daring first step earlier this month with the completion of TA-1’s first powered flight, reaching high supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5.'
https://twitter.com/Stratolaunch/status … 0056598662
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Tenacity and its cargo module are currently undergoing thermal vacuum testing at NASA’s Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. These tests are a crucial step in its journey towards the launchpad and for our mission to redefine the future of space commercialization.
https://twitter.com/SierraSpaceCo/statu … 4257905011
CRS SNC-1
https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/403
The Dream Chaser Cargo System is an American reusable spaceplane being developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems. The Dream Chaser is designed to resupply the International Space Station with both pressurized and unpressurized cargo. The vehicle will launch vertically and autonomously land horizontally on conventional runways.
Scott Manley
shows a video game simulation
'How Did The Shuttle Get Home Before GPS'?
https://odysee.com/@ScottManley:5/how-d … fore-gps:b
Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2024-05-05 13:59:36)
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Hi all, didn't realize there was a spaceplane topic. It's been a while since I was in this forum. We at The Space Plane Corporation
space-plane.org have just made a breakthrough in simulation trials. In theory we have cracked the code for single stage to orbit using a combined cycle air breathing rocket engine.
Summary
MTOW: 250 metric tons
Chassis: 60-75 tons (24-30% mass fraction)
Total Mass to LEO: 87 metric tons
Useful Payload to LEO: 12-27 metric tons
Explanation: Using an airbreathing rocket technology with scramjet and ODWE(Oblique detonation wave engine) "Schramjet/Sustained Combustion Ramjet." we had to use phugoide oscillations to our advantage by switching to minimum AOA drag profile on the downside to pick up speed and then switch to max Lift Drag Ratio AOA settings for the autopilot on the upside. To minimized massflow rate further we give the space-plane a sustained Mach3 flight with a high angle of attack because the massflow rate is minimum at mach 3. This way we pick up potential energy by gaining altitude before the above mention phugoid oscillations to pick up speed. Basicly converting potential to kinetic energy constantly but efficiently.
We got 87 tons to orbit, and on a 2nd attempt 86 tons. If the space-plane material absent of fuel and payload is 60 tons this gives it higher payload capabilities but with a mass fraction of 24% (dividing 60/250MTOW:Maximum Take Off Weight). To be more conservative we might want to make the plane heavier with more material and structural integrity, so 75 tons can be an option to boost that mass fraction to 30% but this reduces payload to 12 metric tons.
This is still a win because unlike Starship our design is single stage. No seperate bits falling off. We can take off and land on any long enough runway. And non astronauts can fly because you dont have to be super fit to survive a vertical rocket launch that might blow up at full thrust on the pad. We can provide a comfortable gradual climb from horizontal take off like a normal passenger plane. With economies to scale this will definitely be cheaper as its more efficient compared to Starship. This means that Starship's usage in future should be primarilly non human payload and only trained astronauts while we catch up to the economies of scale to even replace that market.
Video and telemetry documentation here:
https://photonbytes.com/2024/12/20/the- … simulated/
David Ong
space-plane.org
photonbytes.com
Last edited by PhotonBytes (Today 17:06:19)
I play the piano
https://fb.watch/s7XPqxw02-/
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