TL8 Phoenix spaceplane for Mars

[Horizon's Verge] This experimental design is intended to allow 
extended low-altitude surveys of Mars (with orbital power) followed by 
a single vertical landing and return to orbit.

Crew: 2 total. 2 crew stations covering vehicle control (piloting), 3 
communicators, 6 navigation aids, 3 sensors.

Subassemblies: Vehicle +7, Body +7, Skids +4. 

P&P: 150-kW NPU (0.5 year duration; short term access), 40,000 lbs. 
thrust laser turbofan (short term access), two 59,000 lbs. thrust 
liquid fuel rockets (Isp 327, delta-V 8,012 mph; short term access). 

Fuel: 20,500 gal rocket fuel (fire 13), 20,500 gal self-sealing light 
fuel tank (fire modifier -2). 

Occ: two normal crew stations (improved access), seven cabins, 14-man 
full life support system
Cargo: 

Armor F    RL   B    T    U
Body  4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/100
Skids 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/100

Equipment
Body: two 2,142-cf capacity vehicle bay with vehicle masss; medium 
range laser communicator (200-mile range); two extreme range radio 
communicators (100,000-mile range); two LLTVs (magnification x10); two 
AESAs (scan 17, 10-mile range; air search, non-targeting); PESA (scan 
25, 200-mile range); two flight recorders; two sets of precision 
navigation instruments; two inertial compass; two transponders; three 
small computers (complexity 2); three computer terminals.  

Statistics
Size: [LxWxH] 85.5'x21.4'x10.7'
Payload: 214,625 lbs.
Lwt.: 303,833 lbs.
Volume: 19,533 cf
Maint.: 8.43 hours (11.4 mh/day)
Price: $5,635,305 

HT: 6
HP: 1,579 [Body], 54 each [4xSkids]. 

Air Performance: Motive Thrust 40,000 lbs., Stall Speed 1,605 mph, Top 
Speed 1,690 mph, Terminal Velocity 4,652 mph, Glide Speed 1,861 mph, 
Glide Ratio 1.34:1, aAccel 3 mph/s, aMR 0.25, aSR 5, aDecel 1 mph/s.

Space Performance: sAccel: 0.388 G / 1.32 G (empty), sDecel: 0.388 G, 
sMR: 0.388.

Design Notes: 
TL8 extra light frame expensive materials [Vehicle].
T TL8 DR 20 expensive composite, U TL8 DR 100 expensive composite, L 
TL8 DR 20 expensive composite, R TL8 DR 20 expensive composite, F TL8 
DR 20 expensive composite, B TL8 DR 20 expensive composite [Vehicle].
Environment: 0.38 Gs, 0.01 Atm.
Payload Cost: $41,000
Vehicle Features: computerized controls, self-sealed, excellent 
streamlining.
Air Features: lifting body.
Skids: quantity 4,  retract into body.
Volume: 18,603 cf [Body], 930 cf [Skids].
Area: 4,212 sf [Body], 572 sf [Skids].
Book Options: Vehicles Expansion stall speed.