The problem with the shuttle is that it is just an expensive rocket with a re-usable payload. The solid fuel side rockets are not reusable, the main fuel tank needs to be recovered and the whole thing needs a lot of servicing before it can fly again. Oh, and Arianne is only cheaper because the total payload is so much smaller. The shuttle is primarily about getting men into space with satellite launch coming second. A horizontal take off space craft could potentially use the same amount of fuel as a similar sized aircraft to get close to the edge of space and only then switch to rocket propulsion, for example. This would mean a lot less fuel would be needed for a launch and single use rockets could be avoided. The most expensive part of this solution would be designing hybrid jet/rocket engines that do not need to use liquid oxygen until they are at the edge of space.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2004-01-21 08:27 am (UTC)