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SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,051

Re: Air Force desire for rapid launch capability

This has been a dream for quick response to launch quick attacks with minimal casualties. This may cover the use of hypersonic, SSTO, TSTO and possibly hybrids of several combinations.
[url=http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.mhtml?d=96718]Northrop Grumman Proposes Space Missions to Go ... in 48 Hours or Less
Company to define concepts for reusable, rapid-turnaround launch system[/url]

The new concept, called a Hybrid Launch Vehicle (HLV), would also reduce launch costs by approximately two-thirds compared to the cost of using a medium evolved expendable launch vehicle. Operational benefits from the fact that it combines a reusable, airplane-like first stage with expendable upper stages. Launched vertically, the vehicle's winged first stage boosts the upper stages to speeds approaching seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7) before releasing them at an altitude of approximately 150,000 feet.

I think this while it may be quick to launch may be very costly but then again the Air force budget can afford it as such.

No details for how quickly they can be built...

GCNRevenger

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2003-10-14

Posts: 6,056

Re: Air Force desire for rapid launch capability

It would also be useful for...

-Replace military satelites in a hurry if lost, since the military is so reliant on them now.

-Launch spy sats for "surprise" recon, we no longer have a high speed spy plane, and cheap on-demand satelites might actually cost less.

Edit: I wonder if this could be a stepping stone to a Scramjet plane.

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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]

PurduesUSAFguy

Banned

From: Purdue University

Registered: 2004-04-04

Posts: 237

Re: Air Force desire for rapid launch capability

I think the bigger use for such a system (if it doens't already exist, just saying...) would be to throw large hypersonic kinetic energy payloads into suborbital trajectories. It would basically be a reusable ICBM whichs makes a ton of sense with the rapid advancement of the Kinetic Warhead Peacekeeper and Trident programs. The Peacekeeper is out of production, tooling destoryed, and while the Trident is still in production, it's a rather expensive weapon to be using to not deliver nuclear weapons. This solves the problem of economics with that.