PanAero believes that its Space Van 2008 is the most promising way to achieve frequent, reliable, low-cost transportation to low Earth orbit.  However, we have published many other concepts in earlier years. The links below lead to descriptions of some of these earlier concepts. We have also included a sampling of earlier AIAA papers that treated the economics of commercial space transportaion.

Vehicle Concepts

Millennium Express

Space Tourism Applications of the Millennium Express

Bear Cub

F-14 Launch Vehicle

Tu-160 Space Transport

A Gallery of Selected Earlier Concepts(Windjammer and earlier Space Van concepts)

AIAA Papers on the Economics of Commercial Space Transporation

Our studies indicate that -- until traffic levels build to several hundred flights per year -- the return on pre-operational investment will dominate the price that must be charged for commercial space transport services. We believe that the best ways to minimize pre-operational investment are to minimize the size of the space transport and to minimize the use of any technology that is not already well in hand.

Our papers on this subject are reproduced on this web site.

  • AIAA 2001-3962, X Van Economics, 36th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, July 13-15, 1998, Cleveland, Ohio
  • See also Millennium Express, "Millennium Express"
  • AIAA-98-3954, X Van Economics, 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, July 13-15, 1998, Cleveland, Ohio HREF="economic/19983954.htm">AIAA-98-3954, X Van Economics, 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, July 13-15, 1998, Cleveland, Ohio
  • AIAA-97-3124, Bantam Boosters: The Key to Small RLVs?, 33rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, July 6-9, 1997, Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Seattle, Washington
  • AIAA-96-2773, The Economics and Technical Benefits of the Assist-Stage Concept for Space Launch, 32nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint PropulsionConference, July 1-3, 1996, Walt Disney World Dolphin, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

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