Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that Max Q was a term that referred to the point of Maximum Aerodynamic Drag?<br /><br />HLV would have a smaller frontal area than a shuttle, because the shuttle has the SRB, the external tank, and the orbiter.<br /><br />The HLV put the payload inline with the tank so they share the same frontal area thus reducing the drag.