On 26Nov2019 1520, Kelly St. Clair wrote:

> Actually, looking at the page that was linked here the other day, I had
> the realization that all of the aerodynamic issues that Ethan noted (and
> then some) apply to a cutter flying in the "unloaded" configuration.
> These issues are probably not insurmountable at TL 12+ - bonded
> superdense covers a multitude of sins - but when you have a streamlined
> forward section being pushed though atmosphere at high Mach numbers by a
> drive section with an exposed flat front, connected by a relatively thin
> dorsal spine, the stresses on that spine are going to be /considerable/.

Even in space there'll be a fairly strong bending force because the
spine is at the top of the craft and the thrust roughly through the
middle of it. As I recall, one rules-set (TNE? GT?) had a rather lower
maximum G-rating for a cutter without a module than one with a module
because of this.

I expect the maximum in-atmosphere speed allowed would be much less than
a reduced space acceleration would imply.

--
Rupert Boleyn <xxxxxx@gmail.com>