David Ashford, of Bristol Spaceplanes Limited, contemplates the dawn of a new space age. A transformation of spaceflight is imminent. It involves replacing expendable launchers, like ballistic missiles, with reusable ones, like aeroplanes (spaceplanes). Within ten to 15 years, the cost of space science will probably be approaching that in Antarctica and public access to space will be affordable and routine. The scandal is that this could have happened some 30 years ago if the spaceplane projects of the 1960s had been adopted. Even now, government space agencies and major contractors are showing little interest in spaceplanes.
展开▼
