XPost: sci.space.policy   
   From: mackermNOSPAM@mailpuppy.com   
      
   Carsten Nielsen wrote:   
      
   >   
   > There have been lots of plans of that sort.   
   >   
   > The most important thing about it would be to lift the vehicle above   
   > the lower dense athmosphere, not so much to get it moving at   
   > supersonic speed.   
      
   Then how about a propeller plane as 1st stage?  Recall that the Helios   
   holds the altitude record for a non-rocket plane, c. 100,000 feet.  As   
   ridiculous as the Helios concept is, that record is impressive.   
      
   Although the Helios was a solar-powered electric plane, I see no reason   
   why that altitude couldn't be reached with a piston engine.  It would   
   use a turbocharger with a multi-stage compressor.   
      
   Should this be the goal for TSTO?  A slow booster plane with a huge wing?   
      
   Mike Ackerman   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)