Can someone think off the top of their head of suitable materials for   
   use as reentry shielding/ external shell material that are compatible   
   with either a fresh water or salt water environment after reentry?   
      
   The obvious problems of corrosion and sealing aside, how many TPS   
   materials can stand up to the shock of being immersed into the sea or a lake?   
      
   If a suitable material might exist, how will it affect overall design of   
   a TSTO/SSTO?   
      
      
   I just keep thinking of some SSTO that lands and takes off in water,   
   bypassing the need for landing gear completely, as well as some safety   
   issues that get resolved by launching over water. Does this seem like a   
   crackpot idea or is there some merit to this?   
      
      
   Junkboy   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)