Project Sanger Silverbird

[delta26]

The German sub-orbital bomber design

Just a model for now

Any interest?

 

[Bendarr]

An interesting design. You say it's a German suborbital design. Where from?

 

[Urwumpe]

An interesting design. You say it's a German suborbital design. Where from?

Actually WW2 developments outside the von Braun team. It is one of the early wave-rider designs of Eugen Sänger, from 1944.

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/saenger.htm

Another spaceplane bearing this name might be looking pretty common for orbiter players today:

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/saegerii.htm
http://www.astronautix.com/craft/horus.htm

 

[delta26]

It was designed to be lauched off of a track with a rocket sled:

 

[mc_]

Idea is exellent, mesh is good, but wings looks poor. IMHO, it needs a littlew more triangles.

 

[Andy44]

It was designed to be lauched off of a track with a rocket sled:

Cool idea, but you are faced with a dilemma. The design probably wouldn't have worked with just a rocket sled and internal propellants.

The vehicle likely would've had to be larger to make near-orbit, or external tanks or booster rockets may have been needed.

Also, the aerodynamics are questionable, but that can be ignored for Orbiter.

You're dilemma would be whether to stick to the original plan and overpower the engines vs. giving the vehicle an extra boost.

Cool idea, though. Bonus points if you can drop a dirty nuke on NY City and hit Central Park!

 

[Urwumpe]

Also, the aerodynamics are questionable, but that can be ignored for Orbiter.

Actually not that questionable - compared to some assumptions in the Lenticular spacecraft projects of the USA, Sänger worked conservative.

The shape is not optimal for hypersonic glides, but the data in the research paper should be close enough for government work.