Suborbital refuelling

[Archibald]

Brace yourself: in a few week, second round at The Space Review. God bless Jeff Foust, who is a gentleman. https://www.thespacereview.com/article/3875/1

It was a matter of bringing these three documents together, and re-do the math, to get a workable Excel spreadsheet.
Proof-check, kind of. I managed to do it. Brought Clapp and Goff together, re-did the maths. It worked.

https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2005-4188

https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2004-3730

Black Horse: One Stop to Orbit

Goff went too far with FLOC while Clapp did not got far enough with Black Horse. Wanted to explore a middleground: a 2 / 3 / 4 / 8 architecture, docking vs refueling.

 

[Byeman]

Shakes head

 

[martinbayer]

For schemes like that, much more than just the math would have to work out, and I remain firmly skeptical on that...

 

[Archibald]

Fair enough. On this, I can agree (as for Jim - when shaking your head, be careful about walls - you could hurt your brain)

I know perfectly who you are, both, and I respect your credentials.

 

[martinbayer]

Why did I just feel a little chill and shiver?

 

[Archibald]

Wut ?

 

[martinbayer]

All your post was missing was something along the lines of "And I know where you live, too..."

 

[Archibald]

Oh please... you took it the wrong way.

 

[Archibald]

Since when CREDENTIALS sounds like a threat ?

I'm not that kind of Internet arrogant dickhead.

If you wanna know, the whole thing is just an interesting intellectual exercise to me. I learned a lot of things in the process.

It is amusing to explore a RLV TSTO "terra incognita". Nothing more.

I know my classical RLV concepts. Also the theory.. Going into orbit is no picnic. Daunting numbers. Hard, unforgiving physics.

 

[martinbayer]

Archibald, no worries - it's all in good fun !

 

[publiusr]

Jets to replace Delta II solids I can see.
Jets on an orbiter or Starship to only aid in landing I can see.

Best to avoid the hypersonic murk and go all rocket/pop-up and save on the plumbing.

 

[Byeman]

Jets to replace Delta II solids I can see.

No, not workable. Too heavy and not enough thrust.

Jets on an orbiter or Starship to only aid in landing I can see.

Not needed. It doesn't buy down any risk and only adds mass and complexity. Still have to design for the jets not working.

 

[Archibald]

Hmmm... I would like to ask you two, please, don't do your usual "back and forth " on that thread... although I know which side I am... thank you...

 

[Archibald]

The Space Review: A unified theory of suborbital docking and refueling

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NotSoInnocentWhistle

 

[Archibald]

Theory validated. I've redone Clapp and Goff numbers from the attached documents. See the spreadsheet.

Of course, practically is another matter, altogether (I know).