Overheard on CNN.com: New shuttle needs space plane 'coolness'
Editor's note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
CNN commenters - clearly energized about the promise of a new, privately developed space shuttle - are buzzing about winged spacecraft versus capsule-based vehicles like Dragon, which SpaceX used for its historic visit to the space station last month.
A commenter called "gregory" points out the Skylon space plane project in the UK. The theory behind space planes is they would be able to take off from a runway, rocket into low orbit, and then fly to a landing on a runway.
Gregory suggests that space planes are preferable because their engines would be designed to "breathe air like a jet at lower speeds" and then "switch to rocket mode in the high atmosphere." CNN reported on Skylon last year and one insider estimated development cost to be around $10 billion. NASA's program to fund private spacecraft development offers only a fraction of that amount - less than $400 million awarded so far.
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The model bears a marking likeness to another spacecraft. Specifically it is a "tricked-out" design of the Pan American Airways, "Orion" space shuttle, from "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968).
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For transit to a relatively low orbiting space station, it sounds good. For Deeper missions to planets it probably would be too small and wings would just add to the craft's weight. Perhaps with a more advanced propulsion system ie. ion or similar drive, launched from a zero gravity base it might make landing back on earth easier and allow the craft to be recycled.
Thanks for the comment, Portland tony. Your post is the featured Comment of the Day today:
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/11/mash-up-aliens-kittens-bears-oh-my/