Recent content by Patupi

I think I've heard the term before, but didn't equate it to what I was thinking of. Makes sense, and a shame. Thought it would be simpler but less efficient... in the same way that ramjets are 'simple' :) Knew someone must have thought it up before. Ah well.

That looks very close, but not quite what I was meaning. Though it's possible what I was thinking was just plain impossible. The one you linked El Pip seemed to be able to switch between being a ramjet engine to being a rocket. What I was meaning was using an internal rocket to make a ramjet...

I'm aware of buzzbomb engines :) , and I've had ideas on that before, I'm really asking is this rocket/ramjet hybrid possible or has it been thought of and disproved before? As I understand it all the ramjet needs is supersonic flow inside the engine, during constriction and ignition. Thus...

I thought the tip jets weren't ramjets in principal? Or were they and the sheer rotational speed got them fast enough to be functional? Some of those coptors did use tip rockets I think, feeding both fuel and oxidizer. I do know the ramjet principal was known early in the century, and models...

Did they have to do a power dive to get fast enough for the ramjet to work? I thought you had to be close to the speed of sound to function? In fact the airflow in the engine to be supersonic, but you could use the intake to boost internal speed a little to work just below. Though I admit I...

OK, this is a little out there, and likely has already been thought of before, but I was considering rocket and jet development during and after WWII and wondered what could have been done that was 'simpler' than a traditional jet engine. Of course the obvious thing is a ramjet (for varying...

Alternatively I'm also fairly sure those pics are in the thread if you hunt. Unfortunately I don't think I categorized them as I tried to do (and failed to keep up with) on This Sceptered Moon, so no convenient pic list at the thread start. :(

I had quite a few of the Reich ships drawn as they developed. As to the converted Asgard ship... I honestly can't remember. I'd have to go back and look around. Unfortunately I believe that was before I was using Imgur so I'll have to hunt to find the old images. Or re-scan them. I'm pretty sure...

I was considering the slow launch, but in the description it actually says it was very quick to get past the tower. That was what originally made be wonder if there would be some build up of a little lateral aerodynamic forces towards the tower. With it positioned as close as it appears I...

As ever Nixonhead gives us a beautiful rendition. Just a question. In case I've missed it, when they launch do they have control surfaces on both lifter and shuttle to mitigate the lift from the wings? Otherwise It'd tend to pull into the tower on launch. I was expecting either a slight angle...

I would have thought that in this case it might not be preferable. Gimballing would almost certainly require pitching the body to keep thrust going through center of mass, and with those large wings on (and the shuttle's wing/lifting body perched up top) you want to minimize off angle...

One issue with this is the history of why the N-1 was what it was. In the 60s the Russians were not certain they could get rendezvous and docking easily and that at least partly pushed for heavier payloads, the reason they wanted it in one launch rather than two. Limit the risks involved. Also...

Actually, though I think the N1 is too far gone at this stage (both technically and politically), something Shevak has commented on before might well be technically possible, and perhaps inspired by what is being designed here with the Saturn flyback. The very 'Fuel ballasting' method, to brake...

Yikes, OK, not really an option then. Thanks for the info. Luckily I'd previously assumed having to do a burn similar to launch for re-entry without heatshields.

I'd be interested to know exactly how much delta V you need to spend to slow a craft from orbit to make the re-entry not need heat shielding. Obviously this would vary depending on starting orbit, and I'm assuming it'll be a slow burn (fewer engines firing), or a two stage burn, to put...