Good website

Take a look at the real Space Modeling section here:

www.starshipmodeler.com

for nice links

www.k26.com/buran
www.spaceislandgroup.com

Hrm.... I'm not sure, but I'm thinking that qualifies as spam.

By the way, I like the last link you provided in your post: the concepts are excellently presented, and have been thought of highly for many years. Of course, the only problem is that the Shuttle isn't flying anymore, and certainly won't fly enough missions to let them build much out of the used fuel tanks. The only problem I had with the Space Island Group is that they brag about being affiliated with the Rochester Institute of Technology, a school which I had never heard of (maybe I'm just sheltered), and does not even have a true aerospace engineering program -- just a branch of mechanical. That, and the fact that they do not talk about alliances with schools such as Georgia Tech, MIT, UF, ERAU, UC Davis, etc., tends to make me suspicious of how good their R & D department really is. Of course, this is all old hat in terms of space development, and most engineering students want to do something that hasn't already been beaten to death by a bunch of guys from NASA.