[Spaceships] Winged Spaceships

RyanW · 04-13-2014, 12:46 AM

One option currently being pursued is the combined-cycle engine, that can function as jet engines in atmosphere, and as rockets in space (or at speeds of Mach 6+).

Quick math suggests a tank of H2 would give 17 times the operational duration of a tank of H2/LOX when operating in air breathing mode. However, that is probably a completely wrong way to figure it. Even ignoring the differences of aerodynamic operation, the engine would run as sort of hybrid of a chemical rocket and a thermal rocket (using H2/O2 reaction to heat N2 reaction mass).

04-13-2014, 12:46 AM	#24
RyanW ☣ Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southeast NC	Re: [Spaceships] Winged Spaceships One option currently being pursued is the combined-cycle engine, that can function as jet engines in atmosphere, and as rockets in space (or at speeds of Mach 6+). Quick math suggests a tank of H2 would give 17 times the operational duration of a tank of H2/LOX when operating in air breathing mode. However, that is probably a completely wrong way to figure it. Even ignoring the differences of aerodynamic operation, the engine would run as sort of hybrid of a chemical rocket and a thermal rocket (using H2/O2 reaction to heat N2 reaction mass). __________________ RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.