TSI takes a different approach when it concerns long-term Earth-to-Orbit space travel: Spaceplanes
The first generation of the Titans Spaceplanes is planned for year-end 2025.
In the 1970s, the US government and NASA had incredibly ambitious plans to build an equatorial network of 60 solar power systems in Low-Earth Orbit from where solar energy would be beamed back to Earth.
It would require around 30 years to complete the entire network, and the use of an efficient, reusable spaceplane.
Such a spaceplane would operate like an airplane, with the major difference that it would be able to reach space - Low-Earth Orbit in this case, something that airplanes cannot achieve.
Rockwell International came up with the Star-Raker, a huge wet-wing, horizontal take-off and landing spaceplane that would be able to carry large payloads to LEO, return safely to Earth - thanks to its 95-meters wide tri-delta wings.
The Star-Raker and its original purpose became the inspirsation for the planned first generation of the Titans Spaceplanes.
TSI's preliminary designs are a slightly modified version of the Star-Raker's as a sign of respect to this beautiful design and to give the public a comparable vehicle, but the eventual Titans SpacePlane Gen 1 (TSPG1) will have major modifications and modern improvements.
We are aware of the challenges for a huge machine like the TSPG1, but our advisers and the TSI team is convinced that a spaceplane like the Star-Raker is entirely possible. The development for the TSPG1 as planned by TSI (in terms of specs and number of vehicles) will cost $3 billion in total.
Over the course of the next eight years (2022-2030), TSI will develop two generations of reusable launch vehicles, the first one will be a single-stage-to-orbit horizontal take-off, horizontal landing spaceplane. This means that it will be going to space in one piece, and function more like an airplane rather than a rocket. The TSPG1 is planned for year-end 2025.
Titans Spaceplanes serve numerous unique purposes:
The TSPG2 will be developed between 2025 and 2030 and is supposed to be a Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) vehicle (surface to surface), inspired by the Venture-Star. However, it may be combined with or completely replaced by the Titans SpaceShip Gen 2 (see below).
Since the OrbitalLoop systems are in-orbit, there is no need to escape the atmosphere or surface with the brute force of a rocket. A more subtle and efficient spaceship can take off and dock at the OrbitalLoop without needing to land on any surface ever. Operations and maintenance of these spaceships will happen entirely in-orbit.
The Titans SpaceShip Gen 1 (TSSG1) will be a cigar-body type space vehicle that can take off from and dock at any of the OrbitalLoop systems (Earth, Moon, Mars) with six people and 10 metric ton of cargo.
The TSSG2 will be developed between 2025 and 2030. It will be a larger version of the TSSG1 with capacity for 18-26 people and 50-100 metric ton of cargo. It is planned to have nuclear powered engines.
The Titans Nuclear Spaceship will be developed between 2025 and 2030 and is supposed to take off and dock at the OrbitalLoop. However, it may be combined with -or completely replaced by- the Titans SpaceShip Gen 2 (see above).