| 摘要 |
<p>Orbital launch vehicles (1) with aerodynamic lifting surfaces (2) enabling them to be towed as gliders behind conventional aircraft (19), and the method of towing these launch vehicles using a flexible cable (18) to connect them with a conventional aircraft (19), for placing spacercraft (15) into low earth orbit at greatly reduced cost compared to current orbital launch systems. The lift from the aerodynamic surfaces (2) enables the launch vehicles (1) to be towed by means of a flexible cable (18) from a conventional runway using existing aircraft (19). As with 'conventional air-lauch', this permits spacercraft launch into orbit to originate from any conventional runway consistent with constraints of public safety, thus eliminating the need to build dedicated launch pads at geographic locations from which a full range of orbital inclinations can be reached.</p> |
