Search Results

Quality has been the illustrious word of the 80s and 90s as we speak organizations are chasing quality problems through the engineering teams and into production. Taskforces of workers in white coats are being sent on to the production line to furiously check components, monitoring process capability in an attempt to improve product quality. Unfortunately it's only after several years of production that the first “real” data gets back to the engineering teams, when it is often too late to remove the causes of these quality problems. The organization is left kicking itself over the same old catch twenty-two situations, “If only the team knew this process data before they decided to engineer it like that!”

This paper presents an advanced single stage-to-orbit (SSTO) design concept based on our understanding of Russian AJAX technologies. The concept brings together a unique set of subsystem components to enhance the performance of an advanced combined cycle engine powered SSTO design concept. A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator-accelerator energy bypass system is used to maintain subsonic flow in the engine combustion chamber. And, an electromagnetic drag reduction system is used to reduce wave and base drag during ascent and reentry. The performance of the advanced highly reusable SSTO is compared to a reference advanced air-breathing rocket-based combined cycle ejector ram-scramjet powered SSTO design concept. The results indicate an approximate 15% performance increase compared to the reference design.