XCOR orbital effort

[baddux]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/1-9lh0aqbow&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/1-9lh0aqbow&rel=1</a>

Here's one Jeff Greason interview where he gives some details of their future orbital spacecraft.

- Fully reusable
- 2 stages
- Both stages return horizontally

So what comes to mind is a big Lynx which has a bit smaller Lynx (but still larger than the first Lynx) on its back, some questions remain:

- Can it take off horizontally?
- If previous is yes, will it have jet engines or rocket only?
- Is the first stage manned?
- Is it feasible?

Edit: corrected vertically to horizontally   
Edit2: the orbital system talk is the last minute of the video

[douglas100]

He said the orbital vehicle would take off horizontally and both stages would return to the airfield. I didn't hear him utter the word vertical.

I don't think anything in this video is new.

I hated the irritating background music.

[baddux]

He said the orbital vehicle would take off horizontally and both stages would return to the airfield. I didn't hear him utter the word vertical.

I don't think anything in this video is new.

I hated the irritating background music.

Yeah, sorry for language brainfart, I meant horizontally and corrected it. Didn't think this video is new info but just linking it as a reference (seems that NSF always embeds youtube links). But he didn't say that the orbital vehicle would take off horizontally, although hints to that direction (launch site = runway).

[QuantumG]

As for manned, yes.. XCOR doesn't even believe in fly-by-wire.

[Robotbeat]

As for manned, yes.. XCOR doesn't even believe in fly-by-wire.

I'm sure you know this, but for the benefits of others, fly-by-wire isn't synonymous with 'unmanned.'

[QuantumG]

I'm sure you know this, but for the benefits of others, fly-by-wire isn't synonymous with 'unmanned.'

Umm.. my point, for the benefits of others, was that a company which shuns fly-by-wire systems isn't going to embrace unmanned landing.

[baddux]

I hope they will be able to do this some day.

I wonder what could be their business model in orbital flight. Would they send people to a space station or would it be few hours joyride in orbit. I guess they would want to do it 'cheaply' also with the orbital spacecraft.

[baddux]

Another question regarding this: Would it be possible to make the lynx orbital stage reusable? Either with a heatshield similar to spacex reusable upper stage concept plus parashutes or a small spaceplane-type spacecraft.