Hermes Spaceplane

[J4ke]

Photoset

We should have these by now, or something similar.

Basically, an ugraded space shuttle. Passenger room in front, cargo at the rear. But this doesn't fit minifigs. Oops.

Comments welcomed.

(You might find it hard to believe, but my next MOC isn't SPACE, or even skyfi. ;P)

[Corvus]

Beautiful. It looks so futuristic and elegant.

[Randal]

Once I found out that the shuttles (which were supposed to be reusable to save money and make space more accessable) actually cost more money and hampered the progress of space exploration, because before a ship can go back into space it has to have super painstakingly-long, thorough and expensive inspections... I was thoroughly disgusted.

I'm all for safer, cheaper disposable manned spacecraft. Use it, put it in a museum, make a new one, get back out in space faster.

[lightningtiger]

AWESOME MOC 'J4ke' - I'm a conformist! !

[Siegfried]

I was expecting something completley different; the ESA Hermes!

But I still like your MOC. It's very seek and I think a practical design too. What's the wing marking?

Once I found out that the shuttles (which were supposed to be reusable to save money and make space more accessable) actually cost more money and hampered the progress of space exploration, because before a ship can go back into space it has to have super painstakingly-long, thorough and expensive inspections... I was thoroughly disgusted.

I'm all for safer, cheaper disposable manned spacecraft. Use it, put it in a museum, make a new one, get back out in space faster.

Well that's kinda true, but I don't think it's that simple. Here are some rough stats;

Long March 3B

13.6 metric tons lift

$4,412/kg

Zenit 2

13.7 metric tons lift

$3,093/kg

Ariane 5G

18 metric tons lift

$9,167/kg

Proton

20 metric tons lift

$4,302/kg

Space Shuttle

28.8 metric tons lift

$10,416/kg

Saturn V

118 metric tons lift

$5,000/kg (adjusted)

So yes, the shuttle is arguably more expensive per launch for pure cargo, but the using the shuttle for satellite launching missions (as it was originally planned) was excessive at best. For these rockets (or some other form of a one-shot launcher, such as a linear induction motor) are far more suitable. But for space station assembly, maintenance, and missions like the LDEF it's the best, if not only, option. I think the shuttle seems a failure now simply because of the minimal budget that NASA has been running on for years left nothing for the space station that the shuttle was designed for.

Also, the Shuttle was a revolutionary craft... and one that probably should have never been mass produced. This once again came down to the budget issue, but in reality the Shuttle is just a prototype. Much has been learned from the missions and if one was built now, it would be much more practical... but it looks like that aside from the X-37 this concept it on pause. Even so, since it had only 2 failures over 134 launches it's been a success to me.

[the Inventor]

Great looking modern space shuttle, J4ke.

I like those opening bay doors, with that R2 satellite, and those working landing gear.

It is really great, now I want to build my own futuristic space shuttle.

the Inventor

[NewRight]

Very nice work keeping everything in a state that it flows all while keeping the essence of a shuttle intact.

[J4ke]

Thanks all for your comments. I'd built the heat shield and nose of a previous version before I decided that I wasn't happy, so I went back, made it about 150% bigger, and added working landing gear.

The logo on the right side (that I only photographed because I put the nasty discoloured bay doors on the other side) is a made up logo, something like future NASA/ESA. The other is a blocky approximation of the Classic Space logo, although I didn't take much time on it and only included it for a laugh.

As for the info and controversy about shuttle efficiency, I have to say that i don't particularly care. I'd just love to see a more active human spaceflight program, no matter what. Reaching for the stars and all that.

[Randal]

Didn't mean to add controversy. I was just stating that I too wish there were more space missions/exploration... I just feel there would have been more of it had they not spent so much time, energy and money on the Space Shuttle. As stated by someone, I don't think making the shuttle was a mistake... I just think using it as their main transport was. That thing has about 2 million moving parts... that's not cheap to refit.

I do like your design though

[M:tron engineer]

still 10K $ per kg of cargo is EXPENSIVE. But on the other side: shuttles are(were) the most expensive gliders(they're not able to lift them self into space). probalby most complicated too; with all those ceramic plates (outer shell) and 1001 switch inside cockpit. I've heard that russia made similar shuttle too(but unfortunatly it was only prototype), which proves that they were sucessful in their missions. As for next one:i've been always fascinated by X33, but im quite sure that it wont see serial production (still bearing designation x as expeerimental) .

your moc looks great, especialy front.Maybe you could make it in minifig scale one day? im sure it would look awesome.