Yes. Simplicate and add lightness ;-)On Sun, 02 Feb 2003 18:30:09 +0000, Ian Woollard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:it depends on what form the reentry architecture takes.I was speaking generally. Generally, an SSTO design must be very aggressive about "adding lightness."
Rotary of course proposed water cooled transpiration panels. And that may be stunningly lightweight.
It could well work. I think others have looked at it; and it seemed to them to be heavier, mainly due to pumps. My feeling is they'd missed something, like why on earth do they think they need pumps? I am also a bit worried about the steam disassociating. Still, none of the ICBMs used it AFAIK, and one would have expected them to look into it.
Do you have any references to these issues anywhere; I've heard this a few times, but never fully understood the problem. I mean I know about some of the Saturn issues.TSTO looks better and better... Until you look at staging and abort scenarios...
-R
