DARPA requests designs for XS-1 military space plane

[steve58]

Not sure why they didn't check the KSP forums first 

DARPA requests designs for XS-1 military space plane

[Emperor of the Titan Squid]

thats cool. id be happy if it flies.

[Kryten]

XS-1 only requires a reusable booster, it doesn't actually require it to be a 'spaceplane'. The previous requirement for sep at at least mach 10 with RTLS did essentially mean designs had to some level of flight capability rather than pure boostback, but for phase 2 the minimum requirement has been pushed all the way to mach 3.

[kerbiloid]

50 years ago they called it X-20.

[p1t1o]

Is that a slice of a space-aircraft-carrier in that foxnews picture? Someones been watching too much space battleship yamato...

[Kryten]

3 hours ago, kerbiloid said:

50 years ago they called it X-20.

Again, this is a booster programme. It has no real similarity to X-20.

[ment18]

Falcon 1R?  Its what they are asking for, though SpaceX probably wont bring it back.