Rocketing Into the Future: The History and Technology of Rocket Planes (Springer Praxis Books)

Annotation This book describes the technology, history, and future of rocket planes. Michel van Pelt journies into this exciting world, examining the exotic concepts and actual flying vehicles that have been devised over the last hundred years. He recounts the history of rocket airplanes, from the early pioneers who attached simple rockets onto their wooden glider airplanes to the modern world of high-tech research vehicles. The author visits museums where rare examples of early rocket planes are kept and modern laboratories where future spaceplanes are being developed. He explains the technology in an easily understandable way, describing the various types of rocket airplanes and looking at the possibilities for the future. Michel van Pelt considers future spaceplanes, presenting various modern concepts and developments. He describes the development from cutting edge research via demonstrator vehicles to operational use. He also evaluates the replacement of the Space Shuttle with a seemingly old-fashioned capsule system, the parallel developments in suborbital spaceplanes such as SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo, piloted versus automatic flight, and related developments in airliners and military aircraft This book describes the history, technology, and future of rocket planes. Michel van Pelt takes us on a journey into this fascinating world, examining the unusual concepts and actual flying machines that have been devised over the last hundred years. He recounts stories from the early pioneers who attached simple rockets to their wooden glider airplanes as well as tales of modern high-tech research craft. The author visits museums where rare examples of early rocket planes are kept and modern laboratories where future spaceplanes are being developed. He explains the technology in an easily understandable way, describing the various types of rocket airplanes, including the most important specifications. Before coming to conclusions in the final chapter, Michel van Pelt evaluates the designs of future spaceplanes, reviewing various concepts and where they are in their development. He describes the cutting edge research via demonstrator vehicles and operational use of these vehicles. He also discusses the replacement of the Space Shuttle with a seemingly old-fashioned capsule system, the parallel developments in suborbital spaceplanes such as SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo, the issue of piloted versus automatic flight, and related developments in the airline industry and military aircraft. Rocketing into the Future journeys into the exciting world of rocket planes, examining the exotic concepts and actual flying vehicles that have been devised over the last one hundred years. Lavishly illustrated with over 150 photographs, it recounts the history of rocket planes from the early pioneers who attached simple rockets on to their wooden glider airplanes to the modern world of high-tech research vehicles.The book then looks at the possibilities for the future. The technological and economic challenges of the Space Shuttle proved insurmountable, and thus the program was unable to fulfill its promise of low-cost access to space. However, the burgeoning market of suborbital space tourism may yet give the necessary boost to the development of a truly reusable spaceplane Front Matter....Pages i-xviii Introduction....Pages 1-27 Crash course in rocket plane design....Pages 29-55 Germany’s wonder weapons....Pages 57-106 Non-German wartime rocket fighters....Pages 107-140 The rise and fall of the rocket interceptor....Pages 141-187 Breaking the barrier....Pages 189-228 Rocket plane spaceflight....Pages 229-287 Future spaceplanes....Pages 289-317 Joyriding a rocket plane....Pages 319-335 Man versus robot....Pages 337-338 Conclusions....Pages 339-341 Back Matter....Pages 343-366