While ISVs acted as the link between Earth and Pandora,
each of them carried a pair of single-stage-to-orbit spaceplanes,
enabling transport between orbit and the Hell’s Gate
compound on the surface.
These Valkyries transferred passengers and cargo down to the surface,
and brought up refined unobtanium and what few
employees were lucky enough for a return trip back home.
The Valkyrie used a fusion power plant for all of its propulsion systems.
It acted as the power source for the wing mounted turbojets,
and could switch modes to function directly
as a rocket engine for reaching orbit and doing large maneuvers once up there.
When acting as a power plant, it could keep the turbojets running for multiple hours in
their VTOL lift configuration. This enabled the use of the shuttle as an aerial platform
for exploration and survey roles, or even as an improvised bomber. The VTOL capability
also meant it could land or take off anywhere that was suitably clear of obstacles.
The magnetic containment fields of the fusion plant could also be used for active EMF dampening,
enabling the Valkyrie to function normally in Pandoras Flux Vortex.
Extra passive shielding was also placed around the cargo bay.
In order to facilitate cargo transfers, the bay was set up much like that of traditional
large cargo aircraft, with a ramp to the rear, rollers along the floor, netting to help hold
cargo in place, and fold out seats lining the sides. There were also AMP suit lock bars
mounted in the high ceiling, which allowed the shuttle to deploy manned suits directly
to wherever they were needed.
After arriving at Pandora, the ISV dispatched its shuttles to carry up to 62 metric tons
at a time down to the surface.
Most of the entry approach was done by simply gliding, only when reaching roughly 3000 meters
altitude were the turbojets started up. As the shuttle passed over the unobtanium mine
on final approach to Hell’s Gate, Scorpion gunships entered escort formation with it,
and the jets transitioned fully to VTOL mode for touchdown.
For the return to orbit, Valkyries could carry only 35 metric tons back up to the ISV.
The turbojets were used for vertical takeoff, before slowly tilting rearwards for the transition
to forward motion. At 130 knots, the wings generated all lift by themselves, and the
turbojets were fully locked into the forward flight position where they took the Valkyrie
up to Mach 3. Hypersonic inlets then opened up for the transition to scramjet mode, where
the craft accelerated at 3G up to Mach 7. Once there, the dual mode fusion plant switched
to running the two huge orbital engines for the final burn to orbit.
This whole process took only 10 minutes to reach orbit from lift off, but up to 6 hours
to complete rendezvous, maneuvering and hard-dock with the awaiting ISV.
After the ISVs cargo capacity was filled, it departed for Earth, leaving the Valkyries
behind. They were then converted to automated gas harvesters to skim propellant for future
ISVs from Polyphemus’ atmosphere.
Unlike the thoroughly well designed ISVs, the Valkyries had a few more strange elements
in their design.
To start with, the wings were mounted on the top of the fuselage like a cargo plane, rather
than on the bottom like real life spaceplanes. Were they mounted high in order to leave space
beneath them for the rotating engines?
While on that subject, why did the engines need to rotate? It’s a little strange that
the entire engine pivoted in place rather than just the nozzle, but this did allow for
a great amount of control in the direction of thrust, since they could rotate beyond
the vertical to face slightly forward.
Since the shuttles used vertical takeoff rather than a runway, they likely had a reduced upmass
capacity than they were actually capable of. Even a short runway could’ve been used.
This was probably unnecessary though, as taking unobtanium up in 6 flights instead of 10 doesn’t
matter if it still takes a year to mine and refine enough to fill the ISV, or to refill
its propellant and antimatter tanks.
Finally, it’s unclear exactly where the
scramjets and their hypersonic inlets were located.
What were the vertical slots just under the leading edge of the wing root used for?
They don’t appear to lead to any of the engines so they couldn’t be for the scramjets.
Clearly the Valkyrie was not as carefully designed as its parent ISV, with a number
of compromises made in the design between the requirements of a VTOL transport aircraft,
minimising heating during atmospheric entry, and maximising speed for the return to orbit.
However, visually the design was perfect; it's instantly recognisable as being a high
tech space shuttle, largely due to the two-toned colour scheme.
Despite its shortcomings, the TAV-37 Valkyrie was still thoroughly suited
to its role of transportation, exploration and logistics,
both for the hostile skies of Pandora, and beyond.
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