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Reading this got me thinking. There was a proposal in Analog (longer ago than I like to admit;)) about using an X-15-like vehicle to carry 4 men (IIRC) to orbit. I wondered, what's the maximum size vehicle a B-52 could carry? Could it launch a 6- or 8-man vehicle from the wing? From the belly?

Then I had the strange idea: what about the top-carry option, converted to a top-launch? Could a larger orbiter launch directly from atop a B-52? Could it use JATO bottles to "lift off", with the B-52 turning & diving sharply away after "launch", to avoid the *SSME blast? How far away would it have to get?

Are these all nutty ideas?:eek:
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