Re: rebuttal to Jeffrey Bell on "StuntShipOne"

From: Jeff Findley (jeff.findley_at_ugs.nojunk.com)
Date: 08/09/04 

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 10:10:01 -0400

"Rand Simberg" <newsgroups@transterrestrial.com> wrote in message
news:iHARc.13924$cK.4290@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Henry Spencer wrote:
>
> > Oooh, a chance to correct Mary on aviation! :-)
> >
> > The Harrier has an RCS. It uses vectored thrust for lift, but not for
> > control. For control in hover, there's a set of air jets in nose, tail,
> > and wingtips, fed by warm high-pressure air tapped off the engine
> > compressor. And yes, "reaction control system" is what it's called.
>
> But it wouldn't work in space...

It would if you come up with another source for your high pressure air. The
simplest thing I can think of would be compressed nitrogen or a gas
generator of some sort. For short, sub-orbital hops, you might just be able
to make such a system work.

Jeff 

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