wrote in message
...
On Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:50:14 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

Build a shuttle, that is carried to 50k feet by a modified airplane
platform, and then launch from there. You will already have 500 mile per
hour speed, and be above 60% of the admosphere. Sure you have the wings,
but make the body a lifting body and most of the wing disappears. Use
rocket for the really large stuff, but the modified airplane / shuttle
would
suffice for lots of the lift jobs and would require much less fuel. Not
the
90% fuel as you already have some speed so less inertia and lots less air
resistance to overcome


They already did that. It was the X15


Prototype. Needs to be bigger. I stood next to an X15 at Wright-Patt AF
museum. Pretty small airplane. No room for a toilet.