Spaceplanes - Cases for and Against

[MartG]

Using the X-37 as a reuseable spysat would also make economic sense - with a KH-11 satellite coming in at around $4.4 billion, having a system which can be launched when needed to cover a particular area of interest then returned for refurbishment as needed will save a fair bit of money. $90million for a SpaceX launch is small by comparison.

Edited by MartG on Thursday 15th June 16:35

[Eric Mc]

Can't see how the XS-1 as it currently is configured could recover any satellites already in orbit. The winged booster would not be capable of orbital velocity, so it cannot catch up, rendezvous and dock with an orbiting satellite

When placing a satellite INTO orbit, the satellite obtains its orbital velocity from the upper stage rocket attached to the satellite.

The winged booster also has no capacity for a payload bay. It's essentially a set of fuel tanks with wings and an undercarriage.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Can't see how the XS-1 as it currently is configured could recover any satellites already in orbit.

I guess it would need the payload to be a recoverable capsule, or maybe an X-37 type vehicle

[Eric Mc]

MartG said:

Eric Mc said:

Can't see how the XS-1 as it currently is configured could recover any satellites already in orbit.

I guess it would need the payload to be a recoverable capsule, or maybe an X-37 type vehicle

That would be good - and a final realisation of the very first fully recoverable Space Shuttle concepts -

[MartG]

Seems another spaceplane project has bitten the dust - XCOR has laid off the rest of its employees

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/07/05/xcor-lays-r...

[Eric Mc]

Sad in a way but they always seemed the most likely to struggle. Weren't they the guys who were building the Lynx - and which Lynx deoderant were running a "Space Cadet" promotion?

That's obviously dead in the water now - if it wasn't already.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Sad in a way but they always seemed the most likely to struggle. Weren't they the guys who were building the Lynx - and which Lynx deoderant were running a "Space Cadet" promotion?

That's obviously dead in the water now - if it wasn't already.

Yes - they'd pretty much stopped work on the Lynx when they laid off half the staff in May 2016, with the survivors working on an engine for ULA's new Vulcan upper stage