On Sun, 2 Feb 2003 01:18:58 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Julie Porter)
wrote:
>Vehicals of the DCX or Pogo class, have to cary enough fuel for re-entry
>right? That they use the thrust to counteract the gravitational returns?
Retrofire and landing fuel. Retrofire about the same as any other
bird for the same orbit, landing fuel generally considered to be the
equivalent of 240 to 300 m/sec delta-v.
One thing that deserves mention, in light of the shock with which
NASA's calm comments about being unable to inspect the TPS or repair
it if they did find a problem with it have been received, is that an
SSTO will have even less margin than Columbia did. True, an SSTO will
have a lower heat load than Shuttle and probably lower peak heating as
well. But if anything goes wrong with the TPS on an SSTO, it better
just stay up there.
>I have never liked ablative methods. Yet they seem to be the best.
I have a simple philosophy: Do What Works. Ablatives work.
-R
--
"Is this a bagel?"
"It's the Guardian of Forever!"
"Well yes. But is it a bagel?"
--Overheard at Loscon 29
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