A kerosene-fueled X-33 as a single stage to orbit vehicle.

On Nov 28, 11:24*am, Robert Clark wrote:
...

*Now this British company claims their patented process allows
composite construction both for the chassis frame and the body panels
at low cost for a passenger car to be introduced next year:

Axon announces affordable, 100mpg, carbon-composite passenger car.
"Axon has gone simply for an uncomplicated 500cc engine in a low-
weight body, which replaces the traditional heavy steel or aluminium
frame with recycled carbon fibre composites - as strong as steel but
only around 40% as heavy. Extensive use of carbon materials through
Axon’s cars makes a massive impact on the power-to-weight ratio,
meaning they can get acceptable overall performance using a much
smaller, lighter and more frugal engine.
"The lightness and strength of carbon fibre have been well-known for
decades - it’s been cost that’s prevented this wonder-material from
popping up all over the automotive world, restricting it to top-end
specials and aftermarket goodies. But it’s here that Axon claim to
have made a breakthrough."http://www.transport20.com/uncategorized/axon-announces-affordable-10...

Because of the rate at which the costs of carbon composite production
is decreasing, I argue the production cost for a reusable SSTO using
carbon composite construction, because the lighter weight in materials
required, will soon be comparable to that of an expendable rocket
using standard, heavy construction materials. And it is already now
economically feasible due to lower per use costs of a reusable
vehicle.


Video of SpaceShipTwo assembly, showing the all-composite
construction, including the structural members:

SpaceShipTwo Assembly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8XaJbwwT68


Bob Clark

On Dec 8, 9:50*am, Robert Clark wrote:
On Nov 28, 11:24*am, Robert Clark wrote:



...

*Now this British company claims their patented process allows
composite construction both for the chassis frame and the body panels
at low cost for a passenger car to be introduced next year:

Axon announces affordable, 100mpg, carbon-composite passenger car.
"Axon has gone simply for an uncomplicated 500cc engine in a low-
weight body, which replaces the traditional heavy steel or aluminium
frame with recycled carbon fibre composites - as strong as steel but
only around 40% as heavy. Extensive use of carbon materials through
Axon’s cars makes a massive impact on the power-to-weight ratio,
meaning they can get acceptable overall performance using a much
smaller, lighter and more frugal engine.
"The lightness and strength of carbon fibre have been well-known for
decades - it’s been cost that’s prevented this wonder-material from
popping up all over the automotive world, restricting it to top-end
specials and aftermarket goodies. But it’s here that Axon claim to
have made a breakthrough."http://www.transport20.com/uncategorized/axon-announces-affordable-10...

Because of the rate at which the costs of carbon composite production
is decreasing, I argue the production cost for a reusable SSTO using
carbon composite construction, because the lighter weight in materials
required, will soon be comparable to that of an expendable rocket
using standard, heavy construction materials. And it is already now
economically feasible due to lower per use costs of a reusable
vehicle.

*Video of SpaceShipTwo assembly, showing the all-composite
construction, including the structural members:

SpaceShipTwo Assembly.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8XaJbwwT68



At the beginning they are also moving around the engine which also
looks to be composite. The *overwhelmingly* key question about the
possibility of a reusable SSTO is whether or not it could be made
light enough. I'm arguing it can be if made of all composite
construction. This video gives further support of that argument.


Bob Clark

Robert Clark wrote:
At the beginning they are also moving around the engine which also
looks to be composite. The *overwhelmingly* key question about the
possibility of a reusable SSTO is whether or not it could be made
light enough.

Although it could be made of some sort of RCC with a composite outer
shell, it might also be have a thin heat resistant metal internal liner
with carbon composite wrapping around it to take the pressure of the
combustion within it.
If it was all composite, its inner surface could probably get damaged
from the heat of the combustion process, meaning it would only be usable
for one flight.
Note that it it is heavy enough that they have to push it around on a
cart rather than carrying it, and that it takes some effort to move it
around, even on the cart.
From the amount of pushing they are doing, it looks like it weighs
between 500-1,000 pounds.
The composite crew/passenger compartment halves do look very light for
their size though compared to metal ones, as does the rest of the structure.
It would be interesting to know how many man-hours went into making the
parts and assembling them.

Pat

Not that I doubt a reusable SSTO is possible, I'm not really sure how an
air-launched (which basically makes it 2 stages) suborbital craft further
that argument at all.


"Robert Clark" wrote in message
...


At the beginning they are also moving around the engine which also
looks to be composite. The *overwhelmingly* key question about the
possibility of a reusable SSTO is whether or not it could be made
light enough. I'm arguing it can be if made of all composite
construction. This video gives further support of that argument.


Bob Clark

On Dec 9, 4:06*am, Robert Clark wrote:
On Dec 8, 9:50*am, Robert Clark wrote:

On Nov 28, 11:24*am, Robert Clark wrote:

*Now this British company claims their patented process allows
composite construction both for the chassis frame and the body panels
at low cost for a passenger car to be introduced next year:

Axon announces affordable, 100mpg, carbon-composite passenger car.
"Axon has gone simply for an uncomplicated 500cc engine in a low-
weight body, which replaces the traditional heavy steel or aluminium
frame with recycled carbon fibre composites - as strong as steel but
only around 40% as heavy. Extensive use of carbon materials through
Axon’s cars makes a massive impact on the power-to-weight ratio,
meaning they can get acceptable overall performance using a much
smaller, lighter and more frugal engine.
"The lightness and strength of carbon fibre have been well-known for
decades - it’s been cost that’s prevented this wonder-material from
popping up all over the automotive world, restricting it to top-end
specials and aftermarket goodies. But it’s here that Axon claim to
have made a breakthrough."http://www.transport20.com/uncategorized/axon-announces-affordable-10...

Because of the rate at which the costs of carbon composite production
is decreasing, I argue the production cost for a reusable SSTO using
carbon composite construction, because the lighter weight in materials
required, will soon be comparable to that of an expendable rocket
using standard, heavy construction materials. And it is already now
economically feasible due to lower per use costs of a reusable
vehicle.

*Video of SpaceShipTwo assembly, showing the all-composite
construction, including the structural members:

SpaceShipTwo Assembly.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8XaJbwwT68

*At the beginning they are also moving around the engine which also
looks to be composite. The *overwhelmingly* key question about the
possibility of a reusable SSTO is whether or not it could be made
light enough. I'm arguing it can be if made of all composite
construction. This video gives further support of that argument.


The Air Force is researching reusable hydrocarbon-fueled first stage
boosters to be used with expendable upper stages to cut the costs to
space by 50%:

USAF Seeks Reusable Booster Ideas.
May 14, 2009
By Graham Warwick
"AFRL's reference concept includes an integral all-composite airframe
and tank structure that carries both internal pressure and external
flight loads. The concept vehicle is powered by pump-fed liquid-oxygen/
hydrocarbon rocket engines."
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener...euse051409.xml

This article discusses wind tunnel tests of a scale-model of such a
booster:

AEDC team conducts first test on a reusable space plane.
Posted 12/16/2009 Updated 12/16/2009
http://www.arnold.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123182588

It is interesting they are proposing an all-composite construction
including propellant tanks for this reusable hydrocarbon-fueled first
stage booster.
As I have argued, an all-composite, hydrocarbon-fueled design would
allow even a reusable single-stage-to-orbit vehicle.


Bob Clark