From: meiza@inva.com   
      
   > Shallow reentry with rotors:   
   >    Pros:  mostly simple design, proven, cool   
   >    Cons:  rotors are a bad shape for thermal protection   
   >    Mass:  ?? 2-3% of landed mass ??   
      
   > So according to this simple analysis, parachutes are best for cargo,   
   > rotors are best for passengers, and wings or engines are basically the   
   > same.   
      
   > Anybody know why they don't use rotors for landing RLVs?  Any other   
   > ideas on how to reenter and come to a stop?  Do you think this approach   
   > is totally backwards?  Let's hash!   
      
   > -David Summers   
      
      
   What would the rotors be made of? They have to be thin for making lift, and you   
   get really bad temperature issues...  And the protection needs to flex too. :/   
   Maybe you could have tip-evaporating water cooling? Lithium / liquid salts? ;)   
   I also wonder would the vehicle be supersonic when it would start rotating   
   the rotor in the lower atmosphere, meaning probability of funny loads on the   
   blades at that point?   
      
   --   
   meiza   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)