The reduced prototype of the aircraft has already successfully passed the first ground tests.
Photo: Radian Aerospace
The Radian One spacecraft has the potential to replace the space shuttles.
In the 1990s, NASA worked on the concept of an experimental space plane that was supposed to be a cheaper alternative to cargo rockets. The X-33 project, based on the idea of SSTO (single stage to orbit), aimed to achieve orbit without the need to separate the rocket stages during flight. The concept envisioned the use of a reusable spacecraft (essentially a successor to the space shuttles) that would take off vertically like a rocket but land horizontally like an airplane. The goal was to reduce the cost of sending a kilogram of cargo into orbit from $10,000 to $1,000. However, the project was canceled in 2001 due to technical problems.
Livingston Holder, one of the leaders of the X-33 project, now works as the technical director of Radian Aerospace, which he co-founded in 2016. His goal is to revive the SSTO dream and bring it to life using more advanced technologies. “Since the X-33, we’ve made significant technological advances—we have lighter and stronger materials and better propulsion systems,” says Holder.
A new approach
Radian Aerospace’s new product is the revolutionary space plane Radian One, which aims to replace traditional rocket launches with an unusual system – launch from rails. The plane is actually fixed on “sledges”, which start with it on more than three kilometers of rails. This sled will accelerate the spacecraft up to Mach 0.7 (about 865 km/h) before it begins to climb to continue its self-propelled journey into space.
Foto: Radian Aerospace
Radian One Radian One successfully passed the first ground test, but as a scaled-down prototype.
The reason for this approach is the “tyranny of the rocket equation,” as Jeffrey Hoffman, a professor at MIT and a former NASA astronaut, describes it. To reach orbit, the rocket must reach a speed of 40,000 km/h. To do this, rockets must carry huge amounts of fuel, which reduces their effectiveness. SSTO with “rail sleds” circumvents this problem by providing some of the acceleration before takeoff, thus reducing the amount of fuel used.
Technological advances
Radian One uses three key technologies. The first is the already mentioned “sled system”, which allows the spacecraft to take off with a full tank. The second is landing systems designed exclusively for landing, which reduces their weight. The third key element is the wings, which create lift during flight and thus reduce the required thrust of the rocket engines.
Like the space shuttles, Radian One will be able to launch satellites into orbit or perform various missions, such as Earth observation or military operations. The plane will be reusable up to 100 times and can fly with two to five astronauts.
Skepticism and hope
Many experts remain skeptical of the SSTO concept. Skylon, the British spaceplane project, was one of the last major attempts to develop a stageless spacecraft, but was later changed to a two-stage system. But Holder believes in himself. “You have to look at today’s technology to understand that SSTO is now feasible,” he says.
Foto: Radian Aerospace
Radian One Costs will largely determine whether the Radian One project will ultimately be successful.
A key question remains whether this system will be able to compete with others such as SpaceX in terms of cost. “In principle, it should be cheaper,” says Hoffman. Radian Aerospace plans to demonstrate its technology in upcoming tests to move its plans closer to reality. If they succeed, it could revolutionize the approach to spaceflight.
Source: vat.pravda.sk
