mo4ch:>‘Reshaping space market’: Russia mulls building rocket plane with nuclear engine | Mo4ch News

Russian space agency Roscosmos is considering building a spaceplane powered by a nuclear reactor, according to a memo obtained by a Russian news agency. The move could “reshape” the market for space launches, the document says.A rocket plane is an aircraft powered by rocket engines. Conventional jets proved better for atmosphere-only flight, but this type of vehicle found its niche application as a reusable spacecraft – most notably as the Space Shuttle program.Several rocket planes are still operational today, like the SpaceShipTwo, which is meant for suborbital tourist flights. Roscosmos believes such an aircraft may be viable for space missions if equipped with a nuclear power plant, says a memo reviewed by RIA Novosti.The planning for future development of reusable space system must include considering novel designs like rocket planes with a nuclear-powered engine. Such systems may reshape the market for space launches in the future and create new niches.The memo says Russia’s exp…