Quote:
Originally Posted by ogon_bat
Yes, yes, yes, finally an engine that propel a one stage vehicle from sea level to LEO is not a matter of science fiction but a manner of (expending) money and time  Now it is just a matter of the Hilton family building the first hotel in orbit and I will feel like I am truly alive in the 21st century  I wonder when the chinese will steal the technology to enhance their space program  |
The engines and heat exchangers have to proof its reliability before it can be used. The more complex you make a machine, the more parts can break in even more ways.
To counteract this, each part has to be more reliable than a comparable part in a modern jet engine. This will be the truely ambitious part of the project. But even then such technology might share the fate of the Concorde.