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Small, cheap, reusable rocket launcher
On the other hand, a fixed-wing aircraft.i.e. the B-70, can indeed be designed to carry a large payload at high altitude. While a large blunt cone would have to much drag for external carriage on an aircraft, a saucer-shaped vehicle could be carried and launched edge first and re-enter flat side first; this is pretty much what Rutan's SpaceShip One does with its pivoting tail. This can spread the heating over a large area as with the Apollo Capsule, reducing thermal loads. The airplane is superior to rocket as a means of transportation through the troposphere because it is slower and much more reusable. It is however not as slow as the helicopter, and the separation of the rocket launcher and its cargo from the airplane is tricky due to the aerodynamic drag. However, so long as the aircraft is designed with a thrust to weigth ratio greater than 1:1 when loaded with the payload at altitude it can hover vertically on its tail during the seperation manuver. The aircraft flies up to launch altitude, goes vertical, releases the payload while hovering. The payload ignites its next stage, the aircraft reduces throttle allowing itself to tip over and power glide most of the way back to the launch site with the engines at idle. |
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