On Mar 7, 2:26 am, Justin wrote:
Let's bring SABRE into the mix. Would it be possible to desich a rocke
t
to use the atmospheric O2 when available and then switch to an on board
supply?

Yes, it is possible. It won't be competitive with turbofans for
atmospheric cruising, though. Rockets and turbojets waste a lot of
horsepower that turbofans and turboprops capture.

It might help to have some more explanation. I read your initial post
asking for a usable range, normal cruise speed, size, etc. But what do
you want to do with this rocket plane? (Don't hold back - I've posed
some odd thought experiments on usenet, too.)

Is it a suborbital tourist rocket that can self-ferry to the boost
point? Is it trying to be a faster (hypersonic?) Lear jet? Or are you
after a typical business jet with an alternative propulsion system? Or
do you want a ground-to-orbit spaceplane?

Mike Miller, Materials Engineer