Reentry Shape

A cone shape
Small blunt nose - part of sphere made with extra high temperature metal
Control surfaces (Fins) coming out of the back.
Metal thermal panels on sides
Fins can keep vehicle at some angle to air-stream, so some lift.
Can operate even if one fin breaks (keep within smaller operating zone when both working)
Can work even if one of control surfaces breaks
Fins can slowly rotate the vehicle so all sides get the same average heat (rotisserie)
If there is a TPS breach on one side the Fins can keep that side up and out of heat
Can point straight into wind at highest heating to minimize angle and temp.
Cone is a simple shape so fewer different shapes of TPS panels.
Back can hing open for payload to come out.
Tanks and other weight forward so back is light except for engines
Parachute comes out opening in the back.
Land on air-bag so no landing gear or openings for landing gear
No openings in TPS at all - safer
Internal structure of Titanium
Some cold gas to keep insulated compartment cooler than vehicle frame

Drawbacks and Problems

Hinges and engine plumbing might be problem - but pressures not that high so flexible hose might work
Immediately after leaving teh jet is probably the hardest time to maintain the SSTT's orientation
If people are inside their acceleration seats need to face the other way on the way down.
If engines are heavy you may not be aerodynamically stable without big fins.
If we had enough L/D we might be able to fly back to the start. This could mean we could fly every 90 minutes with one rocket. Wow.

Other Ideas

If the nose does not go all the way back, then fins could be normal fins on the side and not get extra hot.
The X-33 and VentureStar shape provides lots of lift and drag on reentry. The X-33 was to be suborbital and use metalic tiles.

Extra Drag

Because we are launching the SSTT from 60,000 feet, we don't need to have a very aerodynamic vehicle; drag is not a big problem. On reentry drag is good because it slows you down faster. We might even want to have "spoilers" (like automobile racers use) on the tail fins of this rocket. Or the SSTT could come in tail first and have some drag device like TGV Rockets does.

Reentry Links

Used to have a link to LIFTING BODIES (Raked-Cones & Biconics) with control fins on biconic picture similar to our proposal.
Black Horse was a reentry vehicle design using mostly metalic tiles.