Episode 577: AstroClipper: Plans For A Two-Stage, Fully Reusable Spaceplane
Even as the first rockets were launched into space decades ago, aerospace knew it was a wasteful process. Rocket stages, motors, and complex equipment crashed into the ocean or burned up in the Earth\u2019s atmosphere.
\n\nCould spaceplanes bring the costs down? Flying to orbit with a combination of jet engines and rockets and then safely re-enter the Earth\u2019s atmosphere again.
\n\nSingle-stage to orbit spacecraft and spaceplanes have always seemed out of reach, and actually not that practical. But what about a two-stage, fully reusable spaceplane?
\n\nExodus Space Corporation has been secretly working on this concept for a decade now, and what they\u2019re proposing is pretty revolutionary.
\n\nOur Book is out!
\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Universe-Today-Ultimate-Viewing-Cosmos/dp/1624145442/
Audio Podcast version:
\nITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/universe-today-guide-to-space-audio/id794058155?mt=2
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Team: Fraser Cain - @fcain / frasercain@gmail.com
\nKarla Thompson - @karlaii / https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEItkORQYd4Wf0TpgYI_1fw
\nChad Weber - weber.chad@gmail.com
References:
\nhttps://history.nasa.gov/SP-4407/vol4/cover.pdf
\nhttps://io9.gizmodo.com/early-design-specs-show-the-space-shuttle-could-have-be-1528524224
\nhttps://www.exodus-space.com/
\nhttps://www.exodus-space.com/astroclipper/
\nhttp://fiso.spiritastro.net/telecon/Ayala_10-9-19/Ayala_10-9-19.pdf