It's to my understanding that the Rockoons didn't go to orbit, but did reach space with ballistic trajectories. The hard part with orbit is the pure speed needed. RIT had a program<http://www.rit.edu/kgcoe/electrical/meteor/meteor/Home.html>for an orbital rockoon type project called METEOR a while back but it has since been ended. I believe the advantages of launching from 30+ km altitude are quickly outweighed by the added complexity of the system as a whole. In the end the rocket fuel for most orbital rockets needed to get to 37km altittude is a small fraction of the total fuel on board anyways.
my $0.02 Bryce KB1LQC On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 10:30 AM, Joe <[email protected]> wrote: > It's called a Rockoon, and has been done before, google it. > > Thing is now days it's launch would have to be permitted by the government > just as much as any other major rocket flight. or get out of the USA like > into the gulf of mexico to do the launch. > > Joe WB9SBD > Sig > The Original Rolling Ball Clock > Idle Tyme > Idle-Tyme.com > http://www.idle-tyme.com > On 9/18/2013 12:01 PM, Rob wrote: > >> I'm not a rocket scientist but I have an active imagination ..... >> >> Thinking of a recent XKCD .... to achieve orbit .... the hard part isn't >> the altitude it's the velocity .... >> >> Would there be any advantage (cost effective) carrying a launch vehicle >> say >> to 37KM ... think Red Bull Stratos .... and firing the engines there??? >> >> So you're already 37KM up .... there's a lot less atmospheric drag .... >> >> This would be like a drop from a plane ... but even higher .... >> >> Thoughts??? >> >> de KA2PBT >> ______________________________**_________________ >> Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >> Subscription settings: >> http://amsat.org/mailman/**listinfo/amsat-bb<http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb> >> >> >> > ______________________________**_________________ > Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: > http://amsat.org/mailman/**listinfo/amsat-bb<http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb> > _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
