

NASA Proposes Combining a Rail Gun and a Scramjet to Fire Spacecraft Into Orbit - fosk
http://www.jwz.org/blog/2010/12/scramjet-rail-gun/

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bpd1069
Get rid of the pilot and then you aren't constrained to the limits of human
survivability. Extend the track to achieve Mach 4, and the plan is simplified,
plus no more horrific memories for school children as it blows into tiny bits
on CNN.

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adamtj
Putting the space plane _under_ the rocket instead of on top seems like a
really good idea. Using a first-stage turbojet/scramjet combo to take
advantage of the readily available oxidizers in the lower atmosphere seems
like it could be a huge weight and cost saver. The railgun sounds flashy and
probably unnecessary, but the acceleration is so low that it may actually be
practical.

