Re: How Rockets Differ From Jets


George Evans wrote:
> in article mh1gm1tfbvnlq6fhs5mb9vuch6u12nksd1@xxxxxxx, Fred J. McCall at
> fmccall@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote on 11/1/05 4:21 PM:
>
> > George Evans <georgee3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > :in article 1130782940.334797.80110@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, tomcat at
> > :jlavine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote on 10/31/05 10:22 AM:
> > :>
> > :> Burn time for orbital insertion of a spaceplane starting out with roughly
> > :> thrust to weight of 1:1 is, roughly, 4 minutes. Add 2 minutes to that for
> > the
> > :> Moon and beyond. To add enough speed to get to Venus or Mars in a couple
> > of
> > :> weeks, vice forever, add yet another 1 to 2 minutes of burn time.
> > :
> > :You're creeping away from reality a bit. In order to get to orbit in four
> > :minutes you would end up at nearly 6 g's even excluding atmospheric drag.
> > :Passengers aren't going to put up with that!
> >
> > Only a bit?
>
> Well, on this one point, only a bit. ;-)
>
> George Evans


Don't underestimate what a spaceplane rocketship can do.

A sub-orbital, for instance, could do a 3 minute burn and fly from L.A.
to Sydney in 45 minutes. Stay overnight in Sydney then rocket back to
L.A. All for the sum of a quarter million dollars per paying
passenger.

A little 3 SSME engined spaceplane could do this, rocketing 50 people
at a time half way around the world.


tomcat

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