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by simcop2387
4717 days ago
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If you want to play with space games that'll let you do that check out Kerbal Space Program. Might still be on sale on steam. If they can get it off the ground this could easily make things so much easier to get into LEO, since the main engines wouldn't have to carry around half the equation it'll mean much higher thrust to weight ratios, which means cheaper, and then you could have a much smaller craft increase it's orbit with smaller engines and a much lower delta-v than is needed to reach orbit normally. Take that and add a single larger setup that'll get large heavy things in orbit (we've got that now with modern rockets) and you could leave a station in orbit that could act as a bit of gas station for the smaller ones. That alone could make moon transits far more economical, though it still leaves the problem of what do you do when you get there, the resources available aren't incredibly valuable or anything. |
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on the other side you need energy to wastefully slow down with respect to the aircraft frame (i.e. provide delta-v to) 80% of the outside air - nitrogen - you scooped. Engines without slow down of the air mass - scramjets - are different beasts and have their own issues).
Thus you have choice - carry with you and speed up 1 lb of O2 to the speed of 5 Mach or slow down from 5 Mach (slow down is the same energy consuming action as speed up) 4 lb of nitrogen and 1 lb oxygen of the outside air.