The boron-gel propellant interests me as a non-radioactive way to melt Europa ice. A compact zip propellant lander with such a gel equipped glider with some sodium mixed in would be a perfect CaLV payload.

Even if this craft is real--it was probably "all sound and fury..." and you know the rest.

So the next time some fighter jock tells you that "we don't spent enough on aviation/aeronautics" you have my permission to punch him dead in the face.

In the nearly 30-40 years between the start of the ICBM programs and the EELVs only now replacing them--ask yourself this? How many other LVs came out of this country? Now, ask how many airplanes were fielded in that same time frame.

Same with the "NASA hurts science" folks. In the past 25 years since STS, how many new manned spacecraft have we had?

And how many robotic probes have launched in that same time frame?

We have spent too little on rockets folks--and too much on droids and fly-boy play-toys. A Delta II could put more in orbit than Blackstar--to hazard a guess.

Please.