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From: al@ames.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: SSTO!
Message-ID: <822@ames.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Feb-85 13:39:57 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.822
Posted: Thu Feb 28 13:39:57 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 4-Mar-85 08:16:28 EST
References: <699@mordor.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 20

> From: WOO IL LEE 
> 
> 
> 	From "Aerospace Americe", Feb. 85, pg.1:
> 
> .......Robert Cooper, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects
> Agency, says that variable geometry hydrogen-burning supersonic-combustion
> ramjets (SCRAMjets) "using current state-of-the-art technology" could take
> off horizontally and accelerate to Mach 25, using existing Pratt & Whitney
> RL-10 rocket engines for final orbit injection. Motivation for their 
> development, he said, is the need to reduce payload launch costs to $100/lb.
> 
> 
> ------

It should be noted, however, that horizontal takeoff results in an orbiter
with wings that
are twice as heavy and a body half again as heavy as vertical takeoff.  This
data is in the same issue but a different article.  The effect is caused
by aerodynamic loads generated during pullup.