What's with the emphasis on small, air-launched rockets?
It would be more efficient to use a larger ground-launched rocket that would achieve orbital speed much faster, easier and more efficiently.
An air-launched rocket only gets 2% of its orbital speed from the aircraft, and that's probably within the error-limits of its rocket-stage speed capabilities. So why not ground-launch and be done with it?
It would be more efficient to use a larger ground-launched rocket that would achieve orbital speed much faster, easier and more efficiently.
An air-launched rocket only gets 2% of its orbital speed from the aircraft, and that's probably within the error-limits of its rocket-stage speed capabilities. So why not ground-launch and be done with it?