4 ms·
Balloon launch is a god-awful concept. Not only do you have the logistical challenges of air-launch (compounded by carrying a bomb with a minimally controllable
by SonicScrub 4y ago
Balloon launch is a god-awful concept. Not only do you have the logistical challenges of air-launch (compounded by carrying a bomb with a minimally controllable vehicle), you also don't have the horizontal velocity of an aircraft to provide additional dynamic pressure at the critical pitch-up first turn phase of flight, AND you have the absymal lifting capabilities of a balloon. Balloon launch is all the downsides of air launch with a few extra thrown in for good measure, with almost zero advantages over traditional air-launch (let alone ground launch)
- schiffern 4y ago> you also don't have the horizontal velocity of an aircraft to provide additional dynamic pressure at the critical pitch-up first turn phase of flight Isn't one of the (few) advantages of balloon launch that this critical pitch-up maneuver is far less dramatic? At launch the rocket can already be oriented mostly vertical instead of mostly horizontal. Of course this has the attendant disadvantage that your rocket starts with less kinetic energy.