It's opposite day! That is to say, it's NOT opposite day!

[Agent86]

I had an idea for an opposite-shuttle, where the shuttle is ditched on ascent, and the payload continues on to ascent. Purpose being, the shuttle barely touches space, then glides back down to the runway to land and be re-used, while the main stage continues on to orbit.

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The key to the design is that it maintains symmetry in all three modes: Lifter, shuttle, and mainstage. Each mode has at least two-way symmetry. Changing the loadout on the mainstage can easily be compensated for by adjusting the thrust limiter on launch.

At launch, the thrust limits are heavily skewed. As the shuttle loses mass, the thrust of the mainstage is adjusted to compensate. Engine cutoff occurs just before the shuttle tanks are emptied, leaving a little in reserve in case a push is needed to complete a large cross-range glide back to the runway.

Landing involves two steps:

1. Falling.

2. Hitting the deck as softly as possible.

I haven't include the .craft file, since the design is very easy to replicate.

[Matuchkin]

Ok, that's it. You are officially blessed and sacred. Jeb will approve.