G
grooble
Guest
Reposted here as requested - - - <br /><br />To orbit methods.<br /><br />I choose the air launch. I've seen it done with my own eyes, spaceshipone, and hope t/space carries through with the logical next step of that program with orbital capability. <br /><br />I had this idea. <br /><br />What if you created an enourmous delta wing aircraft with a dozen powerful turbine engines. On top of this would be a craft, such as the one in your image, the spaceplane. And as i mentioned a week or two ago, it could have one of those catapults like the aircraft carriers, but perhaps more powerful and a longer run. <br /><br />That way the craft would be launched away from its mothership, allowing its engines to kick in and fly to orbit. <br /><br />With a sturdy delta wing mothership, you could perhaps have a ramp at the back of it and some kind of tow cable could pull the spaceplane to the top of it. <br /><br />So you don't have to spend a lot of time and money to get the craft into position on the mothership, just a quick 10 minute operation. <br /><br />It's just a vague outline, i only thought of it 10 minutes ago. <br /><br />Also, perhaps you could incorporate the sort of floating tech JPAerospace is working on to give better lift? <br /><br />Could you fill the inside with some kind of gas like Helium? Would it offer any kind of lifting benefit and reduced fuel needs?<br /><br />