<[email protected]> wrote:
> One would think that it ought to be possible to significantly reduce the > weight > of the first stage of a rocket by using jet engines iso rocket engines. > That way > you save the weight of the Oxygen (by far the heaviest component), by using > environmental air. Yup. That's called an air-launched rocket. The SpaceShipOne is an example. I guess the first air-launched rocket was the X-1, launched from a B-29 bomber. They also managed to take off from the ground once, but it was designed to be air-launched. A space elevator would have many advantages but with the early models it would take a long time to reach the geosynchronous terminal. Days or weeks. It might be possible to slowly send a small rocket up a few hundred kilometers, well above the atmosphere, drop it, and have it space-launch from there to make a quick trip to the terminal, in a few hours. I think this would take less fuel than going through the atmosphere. I wouldn't want to ride in it! - Jed
