An innovative
HTOL
design by
Mitchell Clapp
using in-flight refuelling of a single-stage vehicle to enable it to
reach orbit. Taking off with almost no liquid oxygen in its tanks, it
can then effectively "take off" with full tanks at high altitude. The
upper stage of a 2-stage vehicle is limited to a mass of about 100 tons,
whereas Black Horse
could have a fully-fuelled mass several times this. Air forces use
in-flight refuelling routinely and have accumulated enormous experience,
so safety should not be a problem. Currently being pushed by the
company Rocketplane Inc. (formerly Pioneer Rocketplane)..
Rocketplane XP is a scaled-down sub-orbital version of the same basic design. The XP stands for 'X Prize' denoting its role as an Ansari X Prize contender.
design by
Mitchell Clapp
using in-flight refuelling of a single-stage vehicle to enable it to
reach orbit. Taking off with almost no liquid oxygen in its tanks, it
can then effectively "take off" with full tanks at high altitude. The
upper stage of a 2-stage vehicle is limited to a mass of about 100 tons,
whereas Black Horse
could have a fully-fuelled mass several times this. Air forces use
in-flight refuelling routinely and have accumulated enormous experience,
so safety should not be a problem. Currently being pushed by the
company Rocketplane Inc. (formerly Pioneer Rocketplane)..
Rocketplane XP
is a scaled-down sub-orbital version of the same basic design. The XP stands for 'X Prize' denoting its role as an Ansari X Prize contender.
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