🚀 go-pugleaf

|>   What about the SSTO DC-Y?  It's my understanding that the DC-1 should be
|> able to do just about everything that the shuttle can do (with the possible
|> exeption of carry the SpaceLab).  And a lot cheapter to boot.
|> 
|> 
|>   ##########################################################################   
|>   ##   /   ##               Progress Before Peace!               ##   /   ## 
|>   ##  //   ## Matt J. Martin, Technosociology and Space Politics ##  //   ## 
|>   ## ///// ######################################################## ///// ##
|>   ##   //  ##        Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN       ##   //  ##
|>   ##   /   ##           myempire@mentor.cc.purdue.edu            ##   /   ##
|>   ##########################################################################
|> 

What level of success would the DCX testing program have to show to make it a 
viable candidate?  Does this program have the ability to fascinate congress and
Al Gore if it demonstrates what it intendend to do? On the other hand, would a
DCX program shifted to taking on the duties of a HL-20 be a disasterous 
move in terms of the programs efficiency?

Also on a side note, the Nov 2 issue of Av Week reports that Pratt & Whitney has
finished testing the DCX's preproduction version of the RL10A-5 engines and will 
begin shipping them by years end.

--Chip