New Mars Forums

Grypd

Member

From: Scotland, Europe

Registered: 2004-06-07

Posts: 1,879

Re: New Space Shuttle

But the US Air force dont Need a whole delta II what the air force are looking for is a cheap reliable very fast readiness launch system.

The Space Review - Military Space Systems: The Road Ahead

As you will note the airforce need a lighter launcher to create a way that they can endanger or disrupt enemy space assets. A TSTO would be perfect especially as it would be cheaper.

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Chan eil mi aig a bheil ùidh ann an gleidheadh an status quo; Tha mi airson cur às e.

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: New Space Shuttle

The BIG reason to have such a vehicle is though:

-Its hard to hide spy satelites, they are warm in infrared but space is not, and you can't hide the launch vehicle.

-When you know where the satelite is, plan to do whatever evil while the satelite is over the horizon.

One-shot suborbital satelites would get expensive, and regular satelites can't maneuver much, so a suborbital spaceplane makes good sense.

A suborbital once-around spaceplane would have the overflight ability of a satelite, but it would fly over with only minutes of warning.

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[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]

[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]

publiusr

Banned

From: Alabama

Registered: 2005-02-24

Posts: 682

Re: New Space Shuttle

It has to exist first:
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/576/1
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Black … _Lake.html

Grypd

Member

From: Scotland, Europe

Registered: 2004-06-07

Posts: 1,879

Re: New Space Shuttle

Ah but we can just dream...

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Chan eil mi aig a bheil ùidh ann an gleidheadh an status quo; Tha mi airson cur às e.

publiusr

Banned

From: Alabama

Registered: 2005-02-24

Posts: 682

Re: New Space Shuttle

Once again--a rocket is a simple tube. it needs no landing gear--no wings, etc.

Rockets can and will always beat winged craft--at least into the mid-future.

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: New Space Shuttle

Except when you get your winged vehicle back as opposed to that "simple tube," which needs cryogenic insulation, with the equisitly machined highly complex rocket engines and guidence systems.

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[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]

[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]

publiusr

Banned

From: Alabama

Registered: 2005-02-24

Posts: 682

Re: New Space Shuttle

You will have to have that with the spaceplane as well. A rocketplane--perhaps with compact hypergolics to limit the handling of cryogenics--may come in the future. But the heaviest payloads will always come from simple rockets.
I like the old Martin Astrorocket concept but that isn't going to come anytime soon.

Unless Dubai wants one.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,428

Re: New Space Shuttle

Place holder bump, gee 7 pages to fix stuff in hopefully not all posts will need loving care or its going to take me a while.....

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: New Space Shuttle

China launches secretive reusable test spacecraft

https://spacenews.com/china-launches-se … pacecraft/