Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!mmm
From: mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Sanger
Message-ID: <15877@cup.portal.com>
Date: 16 Mar 89 05:35:17 GMT
References: <1989Mar14.172237.29235@cs.rochester.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 15

>This seems like a better idea than HOTOL or NASP: no need to take the
>entire vehicle to orbit or to make the first stage capable of flight
>at extreme hypersonic speeds.
>
>	Paul F. Dietz
>	dietz@cs.rochester.edu

If I'm not mistaken, the original concept for the space shuttle called for
a manned, reusable plane to carry the shuttle to an altitude from which it
could make orbit by itself.  The solid-rocket boosters were a cost-saving
plan when the budget got cut.

Wouldn't a re-activiation of this design objective be one of the least
costly and most safe ways of turning our technological duckling into a
technological swan?