Space Forum / Space Flight / March 2006

Two-Stage-to-Orbit 'Blackstar' System Shelved at Groom Lake

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/030606p1.xml

Hmm, I've never seen anybody post about it in here, so I presume none
of us had heard of this one before. Heh, is this one of the Area51 type
of projects?

Could a space tourism venture consider building one these?

After all, XB-70 Valkyrie is something from the 1950s/60s, and so are
the X-15 rocketplanes which would be the ancestors of the 2nd-stage.

Is it possible that Burt Rutan drew inspiration from this idea?

I never knew the Valkyrie was still flying, even as a modified
descendent.

And what is this "boron-based gel"?

Can a gel still have sufficient fluid-like qualities to serve as a
useful fuel propellant, even while it gives the higher mass-/energy-
density?

Hmm, if gel is so good as a compromise between fluidity of a liquid and
the density of a solid, then maybe the various space tourism ventures
should investigate it as a suitable propellant. Or what about a very
fine nano-powder? That could flow like a liquid. (Well, if that's too
combustible, maybe you could suspend it in a gel)  ;)