Spaceplanes: From Airport to Spaceport / Edition 1

by Matthew A. Bentley

Overview

Spaceplanes From Airport to Spaceport presents a coherent, lucid, and optimistic picture of the future of the near future. Space vehicles may soon take off from international airports and refuel in space. New technologies could allow flights to take off regularly between the Earth and the Moon. The technical details presented explain precisely how all this can be accomplished within the next few decades.

This book also explains why the Space Tourist market could easily become the single most important factor in the mid-term future development of space transportation. In a few years it will be possible to board a spaceplane and fly into Earth orbit, and perhaps visit a space station. Later development could include refuelling in orbit to take a tour of cislunar space. The book's solid engineering foundation will be of interest to both space exploration enthusiasts and future space travelers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387765099
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	12/12/2008
Series:	Astronomers' Universe
Edition description:	2009
Pages:	238
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Matthew Bentley is a full-time private airplane pilot in America. He has studied physics, astronomy, math, engineering, German and Russian at university level, and also speaks Swedish. He has had a lifelong enthusiasm for Astronautics.

Table of Contents

Rocketplanes at the Airport.- Why Spaceplanes?.- Rocket Science: Wings Added.- Missiles and Modules.- Crawling into Suborbit: The Baby Spaceplane.- Going Ballistic.- Piggyback to Orbit.- Advanced Propulsion.- Single Stage to Orbit: The Advanced Spaceplane.- Destination Moon: The Lunar Spaceplane.- Strategies for Success.- Spaceplanes at the Spaceport.

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews:

"The book … focuses on the next winged spaceplane and how it should be used. The theme is that the most economical and desirable method to travel in space is to depart on a runway, journey into space, and return to an airport. … This work will be of value to interested general readers and can also be used as a resource for undergraduate space-related courses. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Public libraries and libraries supporting lower-division undergraduates, technical program students, researchers, faculty, and practitioners." (E. H. Dammier, Choice, Vol. 46 (9), May, 2009)

From the Publisher