Spaceship passes critical review

... could a nuke engine by used as a powered reenter engine without carrying a ton of fuel with it. I don't know how much fuel would be required by a nuclear engine with the capability you imply. I am more taken with the concept. I assume you are speaking of an engine that could supply adequate thrust to not only de-orbit, but to apply continued thrust in a retrograde direction in order to reduce a craft's speed to "flying" speed prior to encountering the atmopshere, so as to eliminate friction and heating which would require a heat shield. I certainly undersatand the concept, but I question t... [More]

I doubt it anyways....Still there are more to be interpreted from that.... Thanks B??? If I might ask: Interpreted from what?

I don't know how much fuel would be required by a nuclear engine with the capability you imply. I am more taken with the concept. I assume you are speaking of an engine that could supply adequate thrust to not only de-orbit, but to apply continued thrust in a retrograde direction in order to reduce a craft's speed to "flying" speed prior to encountering the atmopshere, so as to eliminate friction and heating which would require a heat shield. I certainly undersatand the concept, but I question the reasonability of it, since the amount of delta V required to execute such a maneuver would be imm... [More]

To get any one to the ISS you have to match their speed. Bigelow Aerospace wants to put a Space Hotel in Geo Stationary Orbit. That way it,s straight up, and when leaving Straight down. A lot less speed to burn off. http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/

To get any one to the ISS you have to match their speed. Bigelow Aerospace wants to put a Space Hotel in Geo Stationary Orbit. That way it,s straight up, and when leaving Straight down. A lot less speed to burn off. http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/ yes but i am not sure that a normal grandma can handle 4 to 6 gs going up and down. I am not talking about a body builder type grandma either. i am also quit sure that there will be some who could/should never go up in a rocket.

yes but i am not sure that a normal grandma can handle 4 to 6 gs going up and down. I am not talking about a body builder type grandma either. i am also quit sure that there will be some who could/should never go up in a rocket. The question about "grandma" is good. Personally, I think "grandma" isn't going to want to go on this ride (despite the fact that I believe Branson is proposing taking his 90+ year old parents on a ride in his deal...which will possibly be fatal. Geosynchronous or not...getting on orbit is a matter of getting to LEO with a resonable expenditure of fuel, which generally... [More]

The question about "grandma" is good. Personally, I think "grandma" isn't going to want to go on this ride (despite the fact that I believe Branson is proposing taking his 90+ year old parents on a ride in his deal...which will possibly be fatal. Geosynchronous or not...getting on orbit is a matter of getting to LEO with a resonable expenditure of fuel, which generally means getting there, to a velocity of some 5 MPS in a matter of less than 15 minutes. This can be done without excessive G loads (the Shuttle itself never exceeds 3), but in order to mellow the loads, you're going to have to acc... [More]

i was told that it was possible to get 90% of the way to orbit on jet fuel. ie a space plane. but i guess coming back you would still have to glide????? I don't know that it's possible, daniel. After a certain point, you need air to make jet fuel work. Some sort of oxidizer will be required beyond a certain air density. Whatever the case, yes, comiong back you still have to retard orbital velocity, encounter the atmosphere with some decelerative load, and glide...

I don't know that it's possible, daniel. After a certain point, you need air to make jet fuel work. Some sort of oxidizer will be required beyond a certain air density. Whatever the case, yes, comiong back you still have to retard orbital velocity, encounter the atmosphere with some decelerative load, and glide... I should have said that the man who told me that was supposed to be a retired nasa engineer. i would assume the other 10% of the way would be rocket fuel maybe o2 and hydrogen.

I should have said that the man who told me that was supposed to be a retired nasa engineer. i would assume the other 10% of the way would be rocket fuel maybe o2 and hydrogen. Well, there's always the scramjet...which theoretically could provide a significant fraction of orbital velocity without additional oxidizer. But those engines have been frought with large-scale technical issues which have made them to-date not all too practical... With scramjets, hypersonic velocities must be attained before they'll work...and getting to that velocity is also problematic without rockets...so I think we... [More]