Realistic settings for XR2 Ravenstar 2009-09-22

This is my attempt to come up with realistic (that might be possible with current technology) settings for awesome XR2 Ravenstar spaceplane. I reduced fuel ISP settings to values of currently used fuels, disabled (set their thrust to zero) hover and retro engines and increased the empty mass to a value found in real life high performance aircraft of that size. Since XR2 internal volume is limited I decided to use dense fuels - LOX and kerosene for main engines, methane for scram engines. Now XR2 recquire carrier vehicle to bring it to Mach 3.5 for scram ignition. Also scram engines now produce only 0.2 - 0.3 G (because of greater mass and lower scram fuel heating value) acceleration so ascent is long and
must be flown carefuly.

It`s quite challenging to fly XR2 on scram ascent and XL 70 carrier jet back to base in the same time. with these settings XR2 is strictly surface to LEO shuttle.

Reentry also is more difficult, you can`t come crashing down with -250 m/s vertical speed through the atmosphere.

For included scenario to work you must have Universal cargo deck, XL 70 and XR2 of course. XL 70 can be found here

http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=3517&highlight=hyperdart&page=12

Scroll down to last post and there is a link to Hyperdart and XL 70 addon

Update 26. 09. 09.

I included a senario where XL 70 is replaced with a solid rocket booster to boost XR2 to scram engine start altitude and speed.

Recquires Velcro rockets addon.