NASA should prioritize low $/kg

That's why we need a reusable VTOVL space craft that is specifically
designed as a people shuttle to LEO. And such a vehicle should be
extremely attractive to private industry since it can be launched and
land practically anywhere. And it could also be used as a people
shuttle craft for Mars landings from Martian orbit.

The Ares 1, on the other hand, has to be launched over water because
its reusable booster has to be retrieved from the ocean.

The VTOVL concept also has another potential use as a future rapid
transcontinental transport. A large hydrogen and oxygen fueled
passenger VTOVL could transport passengers and luggage to any point on
the planet in less than 45 minutes. And anyone who has been on one of
those 15 to 20 hour flights to Asia or elsewhere knows what a
convenience that would be.

Unfortunately, the Space Shuttle was too large to be an economical
people shuttle and two small to be an economical heavy lift vehicle.
It was essentially the worst of both worlds.

A people shuttle VTOVL combined with a heavy lift Ares V should give
us the essential lifting hardware to do almost anything we want in the
New Frontier much more economically.

Marcel F. Williams

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "William" wrote: