American Aerospace Force Hybrid Shuttle HASV-21 (late 21C ..

This is an example of one of many kinds of vehicles that might be
carried within the spacedock of a starship like the TASMANIA.


American Aerospace Force Hybrid Orbital Shuttle HASV-21

This is a fairly typical ground-to-air (and vice versa) hybrid
aircraft/shuttle design used by the U.S. Aerospace Force in the late
21C. It is a streamlined machine with a lifting-body design, capable
of operating as either a long-range aircraft or an orbital shuttle. As
is often the case with a hybrid design, in some ways it makes for an
inferior aircraft and an inferior spacecraft, but it can do _both_,
endearing to the Aerospace Force.

In design, the HASV-21 consists of a control room with two control
stations (a pilot and an additional station that can be reprogrammed to
serve a copilot, or for flight engineer duties, or anything else the
computer software can accommodate). There is a compact toilet and a
small combined galley/rest area, and that just about fills out the
vehicle's 'innate' crew support capacity. (But see the Modular
Option).

The control room is in the nose of the vehicle, and aft of it is a long
narrow cylindrical chamber into which customized Operations Modules can
be emplaced, connected to the shuttle's power plant and life support
systems. The nature of the chosen module varies with the nature of the
mission.

The propulsion system in atmosphere is a set of high-efficiency
vectored-thrust ducted fan engines, four of them developing a combined
power of 1000 kilowatts. They can propel the HASV-21 through the lower
atmosphere much like any other aircraft, and if the HASV-21 is not
particularly fast, it is able to cruise almost indefinitely using its
nuclear power core to drive the ducted fans. Though designed for
Earth-like environs, the system can operate in some other atmospheric
mixes.

For transatmospheric operation, the HASV-21 has an antimatter-thermal
rocket engine, though the actual antimatter pod is usually only
actually installed when transatmospheric operation is known to be in
offing, for safety reasons. A new antimatter pod for the HASV-21
contains two grams of anti-deuterium, and as such represents a serious
potential hazard in a terrene atmosphere. The reaction mass of choice
for the rocket is hydrogen, and the vehicle can be equipped with an
optional electrolysis system to obtain hydrogen in emergencies in any
situation where water or water ice is available. This system is listed
in the description, but is not usually installed unless an HASV-21 is
being sent off-planet.

Though an HASV-21 can achieve orbit from Earth (or most similar
worlds), it isn't designed for interplanetary or interstellar voyages
on its own. This model can be equipped with the appropriate habitation
module that would make it perfectly viable to send it aboard a
transport such as the TASMANIA, however, and by that means star
journeys can be made in the HASV-21 (assuming the destination is on the
itinerary of the transport and the passenger manifest is small enough
to carry sufficient consumables).

The specialized modules come in a variety of designs, from a passenger
unit that basically consists of hundreds of passenger seats like any
large passenger aircraft, to large cargo units that are essentially
just huge cargo holds that can be removed, to specialized scientific,
military, and habitation use.

This particular description is of an HASV-21 with a space-journey
habitation module in place, containing dual-occupancy cabins, a galley
and dining area, and entertainment facilities for a long trip aboard a
carrier like the TASMANIA.

The HASV-21 lands and launches like any conventional aircraft, using
retractable wheels for support. In an emergency, with the wheels
retracted, the lower hull is strong enough to act as landing skid on a
reasonable surface. The HASV-21 is also designed to be able to float
on Earth's oceans and similar bodies of water.





Crew: 2 total

Subassemblies: Vehicle +7, Wheels +4, Body +7.

P&P: 3,500 gal hydrogen (fire 13), 3,150-kW enhanced fission reactor
(40 year duration; no access space), 15-kW emergency NPU (2 year
duration; no access space), 150,000 lbs. thrust antimatter thermal
rocket (vectored thrust, no access space), four 250-kW ducted fans
(vectored thrust; short term access).

Fuel: 2 gm antimatter fuel bay, 3,500 gal self-sealing light fuel tank
(fire modifier -2), 3,500 gal hydrogen (fire 13).

Occupancy: roomy pilot station (bridge access, g-seat), normal
secondary control station (bridge access, g-seat), cramped toilet,
small galley, five dual occupancy cabins, normal toilet (improved
access), galley, 105-man full life support system, 12 man-day limited
life support system, 100-cf cargo hold.

Armor F RL B T U
Wheels 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20
Body 5/150 5/150 4/100 4/100 4/100

Equipment
Body: 50-gph fuel electrolysis system; basic internal/external
communicator package (standard voice, bull horn, no cable jack);
extreme range laser communicator (10,000,000-mile range); very long
range radio communicator (5,000,000-mile range; tight beam); short
range ultracommunicator (1 AU range; receive only); PESA (scan 23,
100-mile range); AESA (scan 23, 100-mile range); backup radar (scan 19,
20-mile range; no targeting); advanced radiation detector; telescope
(magnification x100); two mini-computers (complexity 5; hardened, very
high capacity, neural net, robot brain); four compact computer
terminals; inertial navigation system; Aerospace Force Transponder
Unit; 175-sf common area; small computer (complexity 4; hardened, high
capacity); five compact computer terminals; two small holoscreen units;
two automeds; searchlight (3-mile range, signal lamp shutter);
artificial gravity unit (27,000cf covering).

Statistics
Size: [LxWxH] 77.1 x 19.3 x 9.63 Payload: 4,430 lbs. Lwt: 91,566 lbs.
Volume: 14,297 cf HT: 12 HP: 250 each [3x Wheels], 3,000 [Body].

Water Performance: Top Speed 0 mph, wAcc 0 mph/s, wDec 10 mph/s (10
mph/s), wMR 0.5, wSR 7, Draft 3 ft, Drag 1,972, Flotation 850,996 lbs.

Air Performance: Motive Thrust 4,000 lbs., Stall Speed 110 mph, Top
Speed 425 mph, Terminal Velocity 2,030 mph, Glide Speed 812 mph, Glide
Ratio 54.4:1, aAccel 1 mph/s, aMR 0.5, aSR 5, aDecel 2 mph/s

Space Performance: sAccel: 1.64 G / 1.72 G (empty), sDecel: 1.64 G,
sMR: 1.64.

Design Notes:
TL10 robotic responsive light frame expensive materials [Vehicle].
TL10 DR 20 expensive composite [Wheels].
TL10 DR 100 advanced laminate [Body].
Operating Duration: 28 M.
Vehicle Features: computerized controls, responsive structure,
self-sealed, waterproofed, excellent streamlining.
Air Features: lifting body.
Water Features: no lines, flotation.
Body: total compartmentalization, 30° Front Slope, 30° Left Slope,
30° Right Slope.
Wheels: quantity 3, retract into body, improved brakes, puncture
resistant.
Volume: 681 cf [Wheels], 13,616 cf [Body].
Area: 500 sf [Wheels], 4,000 sf [Body].

Ingo Siekmann wrote:
> Johnny1a schrieb:
> -snip
> > American Aerospace Force Hybrid Orbital Shuttle HASV-21
> -snip
>
> An atmospheric vehicle with a nuclear power plant and antimatter
> storage?
> Bad idea, Johnny, bad idea.
>
> Bye
> Ingo



Keep in mind that it's an aero_space_ craft. The technology of the
late 21C makes fission plants very very small and able to operate
reasonably safely even in crashes. It takes a _lot_ to spill their
contents. Vehicles crash into mountains and the reactor module
survives intact (_almost_ always).

Antimatter is another kettle of fish, and that is why it only actually
_carries_ antimatter for space operations for precisely the safety
factor you cite. A fully loaded antipod for the HASV-21 carries two
grams of antimatter, enough to equal a modest-sized atomic bomb.

The various governments restrict passage of antimatter rockets for just
that reason to certain corridors and areas. An HASV-21 or equivalent
wouldn't land at La Guardia or Heathrow carrying a loaded antipod
unless it was an _extreme_ emergency.

But there's the thing: spaceflight _inherently_ involves dangerous
concentrations of energy. On 911 we saw what two _airplanes_ full of
fuel could do, a possibility long recognized by physicists and
engineers but not really dwelt on by most people. Spacecraft are far
more potent. Any mass moving at Earth's escape velocity has a KE
roughly equal to the explosive power of 12-15 times its own mass of
TNT. If you want small, flexible, SSTO spacecraft, you automatically
to have dangerously concentrated energy sources to make them viable.


Shermanlee