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Originally Posted by UnderseaLcpl
I have a question for the space buffs out there, and sadly it does not involve the long-awaited ascension of Denmark to the rank of space-vikings, but it is somewhat topical, and has been bugging me for a long time.
Why do we not simply use an aerodynamic aircraft with jet and rocket engines to attain orbit? It would have to be more efficient than just using rockets all the way, right? I thought that was the premise that Spaceship One was based upon. If they can get that thing into low orbit for less than a million dollars, why does everyone continue to insist upon using rockets alone?
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Spaceship one has never attained orbit.
It is dropped from an airplane at high altitude and then goes on a sub orbital trajectory. You know the same kind of trajectory that was used in nasa'a first sub orbital flight, Alan Shepard on friendship 7 in 1961.
As to why using rockets, well if you want to put something into orbit (be it leo or high earth orbit or geostationary orbit) you're going to need some serious speed. Going out very quickly of the atmosphere and then gaining horizontal speed so as to put you in continuos free fall around the earth.
You need rockets, the bigger and heavier the payload the bigger and powerfull the rockets have to be. And even then, as in the case of the Shuttle you still need powerful engines on the spacecraft itself.