I kept imagining this idea, though with futuristic torchship engines. It would be able to get from the ground to orbit and do at least some manuevering wiht nuclear lightbulb engines.
It would be completely reusable. It might be a Lox augmented nuclear lightbulb engine.
A long, skinny, tail-sitting lifting body.
Top 'floor' : Flight deck. THe floor is really the back wall.
Floor below that: Habitat. Supplies and equipment on walls.
Floor below: Cargo area and a great big airlock. There is a hoist that can stick out the airlock to lift crew and cargo.
A very lightweight hoist could be like this one shown in Tintin Explorers on the Moon. It's very simple, and probably can be made very light.
Below is fuel (Mass ratio 3) and engines.
It would first take off, then start going forward and open it's tailplanes, then drop the nose and fly like an airplane and make ascent. After reentry, it would retract the tailplanes and so be stable vertically to land.
It would be completely reusable. It might be a Lox augmented nuclear lightbulb engine.
A long, skinny, tail-sitting lifting body.
Top 'floor' : Flight deck. THe floor is really the back wall.
Floor below that: Habitat. Supplies and equipment on walls.
Floor below: Cargo area and a great big airlock. There is a hoist that can stick out the airlock to lift crew and cargo.
A very lightweight hoist could be like this one shown in Tintin Explorers on the Moon. It's very simple, and probably can be made very light.
Below is fuel (Mass ratio 3) and engines.
It would first take off, then start going forward and open it's tailplanes, then drop the nose and fly like an airplane and make ascent. After reentry, it would retract the tailplanes and so be stable vertically to land.
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