Here is a concept of such spacecraft, called SpaceX Starflight, by Spanish transportation designer Rodrigo Magro. The orbital shuttle would have a lifting-body shape with thermal shield on the windward side, two forward winglets as Starship, four lower fins with landing legs and solar panels, large panoramic window and hypergolic auxiliary engines for landing on the Moon and other smaller planetary bodies.
Interactive 3D model of the orbital shuttle:
SpaceX orbital shuttle launch configurations:
Hypergolic auxiliary engines for landing on the Moon and other smaller planetary bodies:
SpaceX orbital shuttle landing sequence:
Oh... that some sweet design. Imagine such "cheap" model being available for not only multiple nations but private companies.
ReplyDeleteThis is really neat looking but I think that the Elon/SpaceX approach will keep it simpler. I would expect this concept to be just an extension of the Lunar Lander version of Starship that is in the works.
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