Seattle-based Radian Aerospace is reviving NASA’s decades-old dream of building a reusable space plane, dubbed Radian One. The company aims to create a fully reusable spacecraft that can carry up to five astronauts and small payloads into space at a fraction of the cost of traditional rockets.
Radian One differs from multi-stage rockets and could be a cheaper alternative to space travel. The company has raised nearly $28 million to build the spacecraft and plans to test a scale model this year.
According to Livingston Holder, Radian Aerospace’s chief technology officer and former NASA program manager for X-33, enough has changed since 2001 to make creating a space plane a more realistic goal. “We’ve got composite materials that are lighter, tougher, and can take a larger thermal range than we had back then,” he said. “And propulsion is better than anything we had, in terms of how efficiently it burns propellant and how much the systems weigh.”
Radian One’s concept involves using a rocket-powered sled to carry the plane along a two-mile-long rail, accelerating it to 537 miles per hour before launching it into space. The plane would then fly the rest of the way with its own engines. This approach reduces the amount of fuel needed by the spacecraft itself and could provide a more comfortable ride for passengers.
While Radian One wouldn’t replace all rockets, it would be capable of carrying smaller payloads into space, making it equivalent to a pickup truck. Traditional rockets will likely remain for heavier payloads, like 18-wheelers in this analogy.
A full-size plane won’t take to the skies until 2028, but if successful, Radian One could eventually present a cheap option for a growing segment of space travel.
Source: https://www.aol.com/nasas-dream-space-plane-could-230650976.html