We need a better way to get to space

Re:We need a better way to get to space by david-given on Monday November 09, 2015 @12:35PM (#10534422)

You've just described a ballocket. You launch a rocket from a very high altitude balloon.

You gain nothing from the height, because you still need to spend ~10km/s getting up to orbital velocity, but you don't have to push your way through the thick lower atmosphere any more. Rockets don't work very well in atmosphere, so you do get fuel savings due to more efficient engines.

I don't know if this has ever been tried for real.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:We need a better way to get to space by T-A on Monday November 09, 2015 @12:52PM (#10534529)

Rockoon? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockoon I particularly like the steampunk vibe of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JP_Aerospace#Airship_to_Orbit_...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:We need a better way to get to space by david-given on Monday November 09, 2015 @01:27PM (#10534779)

Er. * cough * Yes, rockoon, not ballocket.

In my defence I (a) am coming down with a horrible cold, and (b) read The Register...

[ Parent | on HN ]