Gentlefolk, This is possibly an old topic, but I'd like to hear what people think.
If one assumes that that vertical takeoff, base-first reentry, and vertical landing is the simplest and lightest way to make an SSTO, what's the best way of dealing with the engines on reentry. Several possibilities present themselves. 1) Let the nozzles project a bit beyond the heat shield and just come in that way; they're made for more heat going up than they'll see coming down. (Problems: engines radiate a lot of heat; nice to have that outside the spaceship.) 2) 2-part clamshell heat shield. (Problems: complexity, seam in shield, failure mode) 3) horizontally retractable engines on the sides (Problems: structural engineering, moving parts, engine-out dynamics, failure modes). 4) vertically retractable engines and doors. (Problems: structural engineering, moving parts, failure modes). 5) deployable mini-shield, or spike, to protect the engine cluster, annular shield farther back to protect everything else. (Problems, moving parts on the deployable shield, reentry dynamics) 6) save enough fuel to fire the engines at low thrust during reentry (Problems: mass) 7) inject water into engines, which will turn to steam as they get hot and protect them. (Problems: corrosion, mass, complexity) There are likely other ideas as well. I'd be interested in your thoughts. --Best, Gerald _______________________________________________ ERPS-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
