re: The Rutan tourist vehicles are NOT space launchers
"So, instead of using 99% of fuel in a suborbital takeoff, you could use 85% to 90% in take off, and 10% to slow down. "
This can be explained, instead of "slowing down", as extending the range- you do a long hop, and near it's end you "add" a short hop. In other words you are "slowing down" by changing your vector.
