Re: After the shuttle



William Mook wrote:

Absolutely.

http://yarchive.net/space/rocket/aerospike.html

A back of the envelope calculation shows that an aerospike engine
driven by RL10 components is interesting.

For aobut $30 million you could have a trio of 10 metric ton thrust
systems that lifted a 7 metric tons each of reusable cruise missile
type body - made of advanced composites.



They never did get the burning of the ejection ramp problem fixed with the J-2 derived linear aerospike motor for the X-33; the thing's concept apparently still needs some work.

Pat
.