From: vince@offshore.ai (Vincent Cate)
Newsgroups: sci.space.tech
Subject: Re: Scalability of scaled's ss1/white knight combo?
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balkanaan@users.sourceforge.net (Huw Rogers) wrote in message 
news:<44a10238.0306011854.3859824c@posting.google.com>...
> I'm guessing that the historical significance of scaled's
> efforts hinge to some degree on the answer to this question.

If the SS1 is the first private vehicle to get above 100km the
its place in history is safe and significant.

> Both the launch and re-entry methodology seem a lot more elegant,
> safe and low-cost than conventional approaches. 

Compared to the X-15 which flew to similar altitudes I think it is.

The Space Shuttle and X-15 go up nose first and re-enter belly first.
For these vehicles belly first is not stable, so they need small 
rockets to hold the angle.  The SS1 has a big tail that keeps the 
belly where you want it.  This seems safer.  You could do something 
like this for orbital reentry too.

The SS1 is light for the drag area, which means it slows down at
higher altitudes, which makes heating less of a problem (compared
to X-15).  You could do something along these lines for orbital 
reentry too.  However, even doing what you can, orbital reentry
is still a big problem.

  -- Vince