I don't find it reasonable to expect a SSTO style tank to crush in a controllable manner. If aluminum, it would require extra thicknes, or some form of ribs throughout the tank, increasing mass considerably. If composite, it won't have any uniformity to the crushing whatsoever - it will simply shatter. Also, the tank will be one of the more expensive bits, so you won't want to lose it every flight.
I wasn't suggesting losing it *every* flight -- I was suggesting losing it rather than the whole vehicle. It's not unreasonable to design it to crush -- Carmack's cone is just a plain sheet Al cone and it crushed beautifully. Composites absorb a substantial amount of energy when they fail, and this tendency can be upped at the design phase.
-p
Mars or Bust! www.marssociety.com
_______________________________________________ ERPS-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
