NASA/Langley SpaceJet Concept

[Orionblamblam]

Latest FOIA update: not two volumes but four, being passed along to the controlling facility for review and *hopeful* declassification and shipment.

Vol. 1: Executive Summary
Vol. 1: Reusable Aerodynamic Space Vehicle Systems Design & Analysis
Vol. 2: Vehicle design & Analysis
Vol. 3: Appendices

Why are there two Volume 1's? Dunno. What's the difference between Vol 1 and Vol 2? Dunno.

Latest FOIA update: there is no update.

 

[Dew]

Latest FOIA update: there is no update.

 

[Orionblamblam]

View attachment 723092

Yes. Especially if you're willing to wait years. Or in one case I still hear about from time to time, *decades.*

 

[publiusr]

The general concept was to have the main spaceplane avoid overly massive back landing gear (the nose wheel left alone I assume)--and the weight of jets--additional fuel---a more believable take on the Zero-X FAB concept.

Now, would the individual flying Spacejets carriages have any trouble landing--now unburdened by the weight of the the spaceplane bearing down upon it?

With now oversized "monster truck" wheels---might it have a tendency to "walk"?

 

[RanulfC]

The general concept was to have the main spaceplane avoid overly massive back landing gear (the nose wheel left alone I assume)--and the weight of jets--additional fuel---a more believable take on the Zero-X FAB concept.

Now, would the individual flying Spacejets carriages have any trouble landing--now unburdened by the weight of the the spaceplane bearing down upon it?

With now oversized "monster truck" wheels---might it have a tendency to "walk"?

IIRC in most design work the "main gear" didn't have that much "play" usually. The gear would move only a couple of feet 'up' to close the doors and the trucks could be controlled individually so they probably would only 'lower' a few for unburdened landing.

Randy

 

[martinbayer]

IIRC in most design work the "main gear" didn't have that much "play" usually. The gear would move only a couple of feet 'up' to close the doors and the trucks could be controlled individually so they probably would only 'lower' a few for unburdened landing.

Randy

As I've posted the following on this august forum before, "The Earth is covered by two-thirds water and one-third space launch studies", former Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Sheila A. Widnall, December 1992. As the French are wont to quip, "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose..."

 

[Archibald]

Absolument !

 

[moin1900]

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/earth-to-orbit-ssto-rlv-projects-martin-vto-boeing-hto.13128/

Orbiter/launch system
US4265416A

US4265416A - Orbiter/launch system - Google Patents

An orbit vehicle launch system including reusable turbojet propelled booster vehicles releasably connected to a reusable rocket powered orbit vehicle. The coupled orbiter-booster combination takes off horizontally and ascends to staging altitude and speed under booster power with both orbiter...

patents.google.com

 

[Nik]

Further to the sad multiplicity of launch proposals...
Perhaps some-one can correct me, but the only missing format seems to be Murray Leinster's infamous Stage-Zero 'Push-pots'.

Space Platform - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Yes, instead of SRBs or parachuting rocket engines, he described piloted tail-sitter jets with JATO assist.
Riding JATOs and after-burners, the cluster would help boost main rocket to fair altitude, peel away to land vertically...

Remember this was the 'Crazy Fifties' when zero-length launches, parasite fighters, tail-sitter interceptors etc seemed reasonable..

 

[publiusr]

Some wanted jet pods on Delta II