Iron Sky > Tasks > EARTH FLEET: EU > Virgin Galactic
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Oskar Lönnberg November 15, 2008 18:26 2 Thumb-ups
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Virgin Galactic

This is a suggestion for EU space fleet, but it is closely related to the discussion going on in USA fleet task about how realistic it is to build space fleet in 2018 time frame.

One idea is that the fleet will use and copy the basic spaceship technology from current commercial space programs like http://www.virgingalactic.com/ and install required weapons into them.

The commercial space programs try to make the space travel cheap and to start copying them is much cheaper and faster than current space shuttle technology. And to arm them it would be nice to see crude mounts of missiles and guns to the hull of these nice colorful and streamlined luxury spaceships.

See the attached pic where the actual spaceship is the one in middle and the airplane is used to get the spaceship of the ground.

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Johan Aleksis Wahlström August 07, 2009 23:00 Flag

Carried by a plane to high launching point could be valid approach. Slower than rocket carry - but more maneuverable and possibly a bit more "stealthy".

Re-entry for crew could be with a "capsule" rather than "shuttle" - if combat damage is expected full shuttle re-entry might not be expected to succeed anyway.

Airships would be cool too. Lift a scramjet plane (or simply the spaceship with disposable scramjet attached) with airship - drop/catapult/slingshot it so it can get enough speed for the scramjet to start. The scarmjet gets to near escape velocity and launches the final space fighter out.. - which operates with rockets - maybe carrying disposable fuel tanks/wings too..

Oskar Lönnberg November 20, 2008 09:16 Flag

Had to check the facts. Virgin Galactic is based in Mojave California.

Oskar Lönnberg November 20, 2008 08:57 Flag

True kamikaze style battle ship could be like this. Here I merely was thinking about practical ways how to get spaceships. And the idea is to take current space programs and their ships and modify them to suite for battle in space.

My understanding is that Virgin is EU/UK based company and that lead to the reason why to add this here. (haven't check my facts, lazy here ..)

And then the style and colors of the ship would be nice and flashy kind of fashion ship. The ships will get quite funny looking when there are attached gray/army colored weapons to the hull.

But the more interesting discussion is going on with the kamikaze ships.

http://www.wreckamovie.com/shots/show/1078

Jani Salomaa November 19, 2008 16:45 Flag

I think this design would be better for the Japanese Kamikaze fleet.. The airplane would take the shuttle to a high launchpoint, and the shuttle would have no landing gear, only enough rocket fuel to crash into an enemy craft in orbit..