DARPA issues first-phase solicitation for XS-1 hypersonic space planefor deploying satellites

"U.S. military researchers are asking industry to begin work on
developing a reusable hypersonic unmanned spacecraft able to
carry and deploy 3,000-to-5,000-pound satellites to low-Earth
orbit (LEO) for less than $5 million per launch."

See:

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/art...paceplane.html

On Friday, November 15, 2013 10:39:26 AM UTC-8, wrote:
"U.S. military researchers are asking industry to begin work on
developing a reusable hypersonic unmanned spacecraft able to
carry and deploy 3,000-to-5,000-pound satellites to low-Earth
orbit (LEO) for less than $5 million per launch."

See:
http://www.militaryaerospace.com/art...paceplane.html

That's still too spendy, perhaps by tenfold.

launched from anywhere may have major advantages for military applications.

cost may not be the prime concern

On Saturday, November 16, 2013 7:48:51 PM UTC-8, bob haller wrote:
launched from anywhere may have major advantages for military applications.


cost may not be the prime concern

The oligarch and Bilderberg run MIC do not have to care about cost, because they hardly get to pay for any of it, nor having to deal with any of its revenge Karma issues, like 9/11.

well assume for a moment global warming isnt just true but accelerates....

since most launch areas are near the ocean to minimize accident risk, if KSC and the military base were suddely no longer avilable since they were flooded, a launcher that could launch from nywhere would be real useful

In article ,
says...

well assume for a moment global warming isnt just true but accelerates....

since most launch areas are near the ocean to minimize accident risk,
if KSC and the military base were suddely no longer avilable since
they were flooded, a launcher that could launch from nywhere would be
real useful

Congratulations! I think that's the dumbest thing I've heard all day.

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer

well ocean levels are rising, and KSC is very close to ocean level. a storm surge could do lots of damage.

with military issues you wouldnt want a big storm to take out military

On 11/15/2013 1:39 PM, wrote:
"U.S. military researchers are asking industry to begin work on
developing a reusable hypersonic unmanned spacecraft able to
carry and deploy 3,000-to-5,000-pound satellites to low-Earth
orbit (LEO) for less than $5 million per launch."


and 2nd para:

Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
in Arlington, Va., released a formal solicitation this week
(DARPA-BAA-14-01) for the initial phase of the XS-1 Experimental
-- Spaceplane -- project to design a reusable spacecraft to support
not only next-generation launch for government and commercial
satellites, but also global-reach hypersonic and space-access aircraft.

and 5th para:

“We want to build off of proven technologies to create a reliable,
cost-effective space delivery system with one-day turnaround,” says Jess
Sponable, the DARPA program manager heading the XS-1. program. “How it’s
configured, how it gets up, and how it gets back are pretty much all on
the table.”

Proven technologies? And if everything is on the table why call it a
Spaceplane? They way this is heading it looks to me like the XS-1 could
be the most fitting acronym of all time.

Dave

fred is funny he thinks the military can revent a storm surge from damaging or destroying the ocen front level KSC and the attached military base.....

Heck remember the damage done to the VAB by a glancing hurricane hit years ago?

Heck remember the damage done to the VAB by a glancing hurricane hit years ago?

Which had NOTHING to do with either global warming or sea level rise.

good you admit the damage occured. having military assets at risk can lead to lets attack the US while they are vulnerable......

the military must plan alternatives no matter what the cause of such disaster. wether it be global warming or just a superstorm...

we cant launch to space till the launch centers have been rebuilt in 3 years just can not occur.spy sats, weather sats and military comm sats are just a few that come to mind

as such a air launch system from anywhere has major military applications and cost may not be the deciding factor