Re: People who know told me
You'd be surprised how much fuel this approach can save.
Firstly the aircraft can add a few hundred metres per second to the rocket,. Not much, but it's a start.
The largest help though is lifting the rocket up the first few thousand meters, because that has a relatively large effect on the air density that the rocket has to push though. It also reduces gravity losses somewhat.
As other people have noted, it also give you complete freedom in orbital inclination, and launch times and locations.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
