This is a show your work type post. I created a spreadsheet with some annotations that shows some of the technical and business analysis of a proposed launch system.
This is a continuation of the series. Last post here.
In case you can't read this very well, there's no obvious show stoppers here.
The system would consist of a 747 with an X-33 mounted on top of it. Inside the X-33 will be an X-37C on a nuclear thermal rocket stack that will take a payload of 17k pounds to orbit.
The 747 will carry the X-33 like the Space Shuttle. It will release the X-33 at 30k feet. The X-33 will fire up to 85k feet using the airbreather mode of the SABRE engines being developed for the Skylon. Once it gets to 85k feet and Mach 5.5, the SABRE will convert to converntional rocket mode and continue up to about Mach 10 and the Karman line ( edge of space ). At that point, it will release the X-37 C/NTR stack which then go on to orbit.
The 747 will return to base. The X-33 can return to base after delivering the X-37C to the Karman line. The X-37C can return like a mini-Shuttle. The only part that may not be re-usable is the fuel tank for the NTR. I think that may be able to be thermally prepared to survive re-entry and fitted with landing gear so that it can land. The nuclear core will be dropped into the ocean and recovered according to method mentioned in the book by James Dewar.
All parts have been developed at some level already. It probably won't take that much more money to fully develop this system.
Of course, I could be just talking out my ass again. But what if I'm right?
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