AuthorTopic： The DC-3 Fully Reusable Space Shuttle early Concept (Read 11284 times)

There were several concepts like this, but NASA chose the Shuttle with solid boosters instead.  In the long run, a two stage reusable rocket or space planes would have been cheaper to operate I would think.  The booster plane especially would have cut the operating costs.  Solids cost as much new as reusable.  Then the shuttle expended the tank.  Nothing would have been expended.  The booster plane, if robust enough would have taken very little refurbishment to reuse.  The upper orbital stage might have taken about the same refurbishment as shuttle.  There would have probably been no Challenger explosion.

I'm surprised Boeing and Lockheed haven't come up with something like this.  One do the booster and one the orbiter, and let ULA operate it.   

While the Shuttle was flying.  There was several proposals to replace the Solid's with Liquid fly-back boosters that would land back autonomously at KSC.  I think one of the proposals even showed how long term it would save money and boost performance.  These are covered in the Jenkins books on the Shuttle.