[Spaceships] Winged Spaceships

[scc]

Originally Posted by Anthony

The short answer to that is 'not at TL 8, and only maybe at higher tech levels'. Regular jets have a maximum atmospheric velocity that's only 15-20% of the delta-V required for orbit, and there are quite substantial costs to adding a jet engine.

Yes, but those jet engines reduce the amount of work rockets need to do by the same percentage, while also increasing the efficiency of the rockets due to the higher altitude light-off. And the settings at TL 9, or where you talking IRL?

Originally Posted by Anthony

Then use HEDM rockets, nuclear-thermal, or laser launch; conventional rockets are hopeless.

HDM works, maybe too well. 8 tanks is 4.8 mps, not enough even with jet assist, but 9 is 6.3 too much (In one case enough to reach escape velocity)