US Military to Launch Mach 17 (13,00mph) Plane

[enollava]

In 10 years, when they have perfected controlling aircraft like this, I wonder who will be the first person to hitch a ride in one. Pull back on the stick just a little and you launch yourself out into space. "Crap, I must have pulled back a little too hard, I'm landing on the moon instead of dropping a bomb on the terrorists."

[BigTyla]

In 10 years, when they have perfected controlling aircraft like this, I wonder who will be the first person to hitch a ride in one. Pull back on the stick just a little and you launch yourself out into space. "Crap, I must have pulled back a little too hard, I'm landing on the moon instead of dropping a bomb on the terrorists."

Hate to be Mr. Buzzkillington, but this aircraft will never be able to launch itself into space with an on-board motor. The only driving a potential pilot would do is after booster separation, and even then he'd have to wait until he decended into the atmosphere sufficiently enough to feed the massive amounts of air required by his scramjet engine to actually "fly" it instead of merely "gliding" it.

[ictponder]

Still not as fast as a Trimaxion Drone Ship, noobs.

[IPD]

i fail to see the usefulness of this, versus an ICBM with MIRV. you can take down an ICBM in boost phase, but the same applies to this. once the MIRV has ejected, it's next to impossible to thwart it. speeds are very nearly the same.

if we're going to spend $$$ on something, the airborne laser is a better bet.

p.s.
you can't control something like this with a human. WAY too fast.

[ictponder]

Maybe they should build a super expensive android pilot for it.

[Danube_3KGT]

they'd have to like circle the earth a couple of times to slow down enough to land..