Quote:
Originally posted by JosephM
Now to the next human spaceflight: Go for using the current Shuttles FOR NOW. But get Boeing to start to develop new long range, high capacity, almost 100% resuable space plane. Something that can launch using little fuel and then land safely. My ideas: compressed air. If you've been on Hypersonic XLC you know in 1.8 seconds the 3 ton train can go 80 mph. If you compress it enough, you can get something in space, then you can use boosters to excellerate the plane into space.
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While space-age technology is often applied to roller coasters, roller coasters probably aren't terribly applicable to spacecraft.
Stan Checkett's doesn't know what he's doing. At all. He's a lucky man, and he's doing things that haven't been done before, but he's not innovating.
I think, at some point, you'd reach some equilibrium point where the structure needed to house the compressed air would weigh more than that volume of air it houses could actually move. Or something.
I like ramjets, myself.