Space shuttle for space tourism and first stage of a TSTO.
in [Physics]
|
Prev: Eclipses Yield First Images of Elusive Iron Line in Solar Corona
Next: What happens when all dimensions are doubled overnight?
From: Robert Clark on 7 Jan 2010 02:26 On another forum someone reminded me, you could just use wet wings as the propellant tanks. As a preliminary estimate, the wing volume may be close to that of the payload bay based on a wing area of 250 square meters and a maximum wing thickness of 1.5 meters. Then you could keep the large shuttle payload bay to carry payloads while having close to the same propellant load. You would need some strengthening of the wings though, which would increase the dry weight. Bob Clark
From: Robert Clark on 7 Jan 2010 03:54 On Jan 6, 12:44 am, David Spain <nos...(a)127.0.0.1> wrote: > Robert Clark <rgregorycl...(a)yahoo.com> writes: > > The payload bay would be converted to a fuel tank, and the second > > stage of the TSTO would be carried on top or below the orbiter. > > With that top or bottom mounted 2nd stage using cryogenic fuels? > > Ooops, here we go again.... > > Unless, double hulled? > > Dave Using wet wings only as the propellant tanks would solve the problem of a cryogenic-fueled upper stage's flaking insulation damaging the wings of the orbiter. It would also allow quite large payloads, at least in volume. If used for space tourism, the payload bay could then carry many passengers now, much more than what I had been envisioning as only 6 or so in the shuttle crew compartment. Quite a bit more also than the 6 passengers of SpaceShipTwo. With the 60 ft by 15 ft payload bay, say you allowed a 3 ft by 3 ft space per passenger you could carry 100 passengers(!) You could then charge a much lower price per passenger, and still make a profit. With this many passengers the vehicle would be much more like an airliner now, and the hypersonic transport market now becomes potentially much more lucrative. And this for an initial investment of $42 million. Bob Clark
From: Me on 7 Jan 2010 10:12 On Jan 6, 9:37 pm, "Jonathan" <H...(a)Again.net> wrote: another ends up in someplace > weird like Abu Dhabi, and the third goes to some rich nutjob that > just has to have one to impress his friends. No, they aren't leaving the country or going to an individual. They will end up at NASA centers and NASM
From: Pat Flannery on 7 Jan 2010 14:02 Me wrote: > No, they aren't leaving the country or going to an individual. They > will end up at NASA centers and NASM NASM already has one. Pat
From: Me on 7 Jan 2010 15:21
On Jan 7, 2:02 pm, Pat Flannery <flan...(a)daktel.com> wrote: > Me wrote: > > No, they aren't leaving the country or going to an individual. They > > will end up at NASA centers and NASM > > NASM already has one. > > Pat NASM wants and will get real one (one that flew in space) OV-101 will be sent elsewhere (MSFC, EAFB/DFRC, USAF, etc) |