(Tom Merkle) wrote in
:

Damon Hill wrote in message
. 132...
Markus Baur wrote in newsAKEb.146722
:

one thing that has not yet mentioned (at least i could not find any
mention of this) is the opportunity of using SSO as a manned
sounding rocket ..

it fills a gap betwenn current zero G planes, current sounding
rockets and actual satellites - offering much longer zero gee
time then the planes, larger payload then most sounding rockets at
comaratively low price with the chance to easily refly experiments
- AND - to fly maned experiments ..

i would guess a number of resaerch institutions and universites
might be very interested in this .. your opinion ?

Don't see why it couldn't be used as a launcher for a sounding
rocket, or a multistage light satellite launcher. The hybrid motor
is pushing a heavy mass to a pretty good altitude; how high would it
go by itself and a small payload?

I would not be surprised to see them try this, or perhaps it's their
real goal.

--Damon

You seem to be talking about an unmanned version of SS1. I would be
very suprised to see Rutan go along with this. He has been very
adamant in past interviews that the living, breathing, thinking pilot
is a key part of his designs. It probably would add a lot of
complexity to the vehicle to make it unmanned (then you'd have to
figure out unmanned flight, tailbraking, and landing by computer), and
it may even add weight. (SS1 isn't fly-by-wire.)

Duh.

I wasn't talking about SpaceShip One, I was talking about the hybrid
motor package and a payload; obviously there'd need to be an aeroshell
and guidance system, but far smaller and less complex.

--Damon