Alternative Rocket Takeoff

The rocket’s require maximum thrust at takeoff when they are the heaviest. This increases their engine count which is the most expensive part of a rocket. An alternative approach to vertical takeoff would be to liftoff like a plane. This requires wings to be added on the rocket shell which induces drag and weight. However, all these can be solved easily.

I propose rocket wings made of the same material as the rocket shell but strengthened by carbon fiber fabric. As a result, the wings can be easily welded on the rocket. I also propose the wings to be thin flat surfaces. Angle of attack would create the lift, therefore no need for a complex wing design. The wings would be stacked by three and form a wing group. There would be four of these groups supporting the rocket’s weight. This design would generate the maximum lift with minimum drag. The wings would have vertical supports connecting them together. These supports would also double as vertical stabilizers of a plane. The weight of the wings would be compensated by the eliminated engines.

The rocket would be assembled in a hangar where it would be pooled by a flatcar over a rail. I propose the rocket to be launched from this flat car which would be accelerated over a track. The flatcar would also be pooled rapidly during launch like the aircraft catapult, contributing positive to the takeoff thrust. The rocket would be placed on the flatcar such that the wings would have an angle of attack to generate lift.

The trajectory of the rocket should be altered, compared to the traditional rockets, such that the lift generated by the wings surpass the drag induced. Unlike the engines which generate thrust on takeoff and then turned off to control the acceleration which just adds weight to the rocket; wings continue generating lift from the beginning till the end without consuming propellent.

The wings also help to slow down and improve the stability of the first stage of the rocket during its return to base trip. This is a better solution compared to the folded stabilizers used during landing. The rocket would land vertically like the other reusable rockets do.