> On Wed, 2007-09-26 at 12:48 -0600, Wyrm wrote: > > Onno Meyer wrote: > [snip] > > Reentry takes the > > > spaceplane into the upper atmosphere, where drag brings it down for a > > > dead stick landing. > > > The turbofans burn 1,200 gallons of jet fuel per hour and the > rockets > > > burn 1,375 gallons of HO per second. A full load of fuel is $23,600. > > > > Why a dead stick? Can't the turbofans be used for landing as well? > > Every gallon of jet fuel you don't burn has to be carried to orbit by > the rockets and comes directly out of your payload weight. I wouldn't > be surprised if the jets are run at full power right up to the last of > the fuel, before rocket ignition. > > Just like commercial airlines don't load all the fuel they can carry. > Extra weight doesn't pay. > -- > Zan Lynx <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
My delta-V figures assume dry jet fuel tanks, but I added a guesstimated drag penalty to the required delta-V, so there might be payload capacity for a few extra gallons - or a few more m/s in orbit. _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
