Re: How Rockets Differ From Jets

Fred J. McCall wrote:
> :One of the nice things about a hypersonic plane is that winds have
> :little affect on it. A mach 15 airflow is so much greater than a
> :measly 200 knot wind that it is scarcely felt.
>
> There is a big difference between 'rigid airship' and 'hypersonic
> plane'. Pick one.
>
> :Not to mention the 5 million pounds of thrust an 11 SSME engine
> :spaceplane would have.
>
> And I'm sure the magic would be a big helper, too.
>
> :Military jet pilots rarely feel the weather in the newer fighter
> :aircraft. The one exception is when they are flying slow to land or
> :takeoff.
>
> Know a lot of military jet pilots, do you? I do and they worry a LOT
> about winds aloft.



Nothing magical about a SSME. Rocketdyne makes them. They work. They
produce 450,000 pounds of thrust each at sea level, 500,000 pounds of
thrust each in Space.

They call me "pedal to the metal" for a reason. I don't slow down for
thunderheads, or try to go around them. Sometimes I'm referred to as
the "what me worry? guy". I don't worry much.

A good spaceplane would be a combination of extremely light materials,
like carbon nanotube fabric, and . . . vacuum. It just might float.


tomcat

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