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"747" to Low Earth Orbit
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Topic: "747" to Low Earth Orbit (Read 1308 times)
JasonAW3
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Claremore, Ok.
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"747" to Low Earth Orbit
«
on:
03/20/2014 07:29 pm »
Ok, no I am NOT suggesting actually taking a 747 to orbit, (although that would be kind of neat) but what I am asking is, based on the concept that DARPA was trying to sell the DC-X program as, what would it take to fly the equivelant mass of a fully loaded international, non-stop flight, New York to Tokyo 747, up into orbit and back down to a landing, (minus fuel load, of course).
Obviously, we'd need much lighter structures and materials, probably methane/LOX engines. And getting it to operate like an airliner, would be a stretch, but what kind of technological leaps would it really need to actually do it?
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My God! It's full of universes!
Rocket Science
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NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
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Re: "747" to Low Earth Orbit
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Reply #1 on:
03/20/2014 07:38 pm »
Maybe the "Orient Express"...
https://www.fas.org/irp/mystery/nasp.htm
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"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator
cordwainer
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Re: "747" to Low Earth Orbit
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Reply #2 on:
03/20/2014 09:02 pm »
Orbital flight for commercial travel would be too expensive unless your lifting something to orbit. I think you meant sub-orbital as a means to coast long distances at very high mach speeds. I don't think it would ever be economical for mass transit purposes but you could probably do it for a lot less than a typical rocket launch. Some type of combined cycle hybrid rocket/jet engine(probably closer to RATTLER than Skylon) with a RATO assist would be my suggestion.
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