I also think Space Solar Power
Are we talking about space-based solar power?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_solar_powerI think it's an interesting idea, but I think the challenges are way too enormous and the benefit is debatable. I definitely don't see it on our lifetime, or the next. But maybe the next next lifetime.
uh oh - Jim and me are on the same side of the fence again.
Quote from: Gregori on 01/19/2011 11:33 pmI also think Space Solar Power What says this is viable?
I am speculating ...after 2020... A BLEO Dragon 2 that will serve the government market and will fit on a Falcon 9 Heavy with Merlin2 engines. It will have more capabilities than Orion or the original Dragon.
I am speculating ...after 2020... The second vehicle will be a Dragon Bus, that will fit on the Falcon X and will be capable of ferrying 50+ people to private and government stations in LEO. It will be a land landing capsule with pusher escape system that can precision land at a spaceport.
I aware that there is some wishful thinking in that, but oh well!!!
Get real.There will winged RLVs for passengers and none of these inane large capsules. There isnt going to be a replacement govt station for the ISS nor a Dragon 2
There will winged RLVs for passengers and none of these inane large capsules.
There isnt going to be a replacement govt station for the ISS
nor a Dragon 2
aesthetics aside, and agreeing that vehicle reusability, benign landing, and quick turn-around are all key, I don't see the argument from this to wings.The mass of the wings goes with the mass of the vehicle, and so does the propellant necessary for a powered landing. If you reduce the terminal velocity to near 150 m/s and assume exhaust velocity of 2500 m/s, the propellant mass will be 6-7% of the vehicle mass. Can wings ever beat that? Can they even come close?
I think the range correction is too high, I agree on the gravity drag. The Landing/LAS match-up nulls out most of the weight of the tanks, especially if you assume an emergency chute landing in case of an abort.Wings + tail + extra heat shield for those + extra structure to support two main load directions + rolling landing gear - all for only 10%? That doesn't sound right. Sounds maybe right for a regular airplane.
The closest technological path to a true reusable passenger craft is probably a two-stage spaceplane. (The first stage being a flyback booster or jet+rocket-propelled carrier aircraft)
Capsules are great. Economical and safe.BUT... They will never open up mass transportation (of people) to space. Some kind of reusable passenger spaceplane (or VTVL) will have to be developed for that. And we are not there yet.