Message posted by Sundog on March 15, 2006 at 21:34:17 PST:

As for Rutan, what he has done isn't anywhere near what a Blackstar system, whether built or not, would be capable of. Rutan just went vertically into space, like NASA's two stage launch system did 40 years ago, the X-15 launched from the NB-52. it wasn't like he did anything really new and he had forty years of data to fall back on. It wasn't like he did anything really new, with the exception of the SS1's aerobraking feature.

The Blackstar system is in a whole separate category, in that it's an orbital system. It should be noted, though, that Rutan is working on a space launch system that uses a specially designed launch aircraft using four F100 turbofans to carry a small rocket on it's back that would be launched at the end of the mothership's zoom climb.

In Reply to: Re: AW Cover article - Blackstar posted by Frank Stamm on March 14, 2006 at 14:52:35 PST:

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