I am a bit disappointed, though, that the starting maneuver wasn't given its own strip. It must have been one hell of a pushback when it was anything like regular space-flight starts.
Or is it more like a regular plane start only it keeps an upward trajectory until it reaches LEO? Wouldn't - in that case - the flight take a very long time and bring the ship around the earth at least once? (I can't deliver any math on this right now, sitting in da office.)
The flight profile for the EC-101 would be as follows:
1: Takeoff from a runway like a normal airplane and climb to an altitude above normal air traffic (about 50,000 ft)
2: Accelerate to supersonic and pitch up to climb out of the dense part of the atmosphere.
3: Pitch down and accelerate to orbital velocity (about 17,500 miles per hour)
4: MECO (Main Engine Cut Off) once a safe orbit is achieved.
The Space Shuttle took about 8 minutes to get to achieve orbit, but it began climbing and accelerating from liftoff. For a spaceplane, it would be much easier and safer to get to high altitude before going full throttle. Think X-15 or Space Ship One not Apollo or STS.
All together, orbit insertion could be achieved in about an hour from wheels up.