Ok, here's my new train of thought.

a. wipe the board clean and start a new about the carrier, and here's my new idea.

The carrier will actually be a detachable flying wing that will grab the bottom of the full tank (the shuttle is atop the full tank, laying down of course). The wing will be sufficiently shape and equipt to go I want Mach 3-ish, the ability to lift a really heavy load and go to a high altitude(to be determined)

Also i've got some drawings done for the shuttle. I'll be posting those sometime.

I think therefore I'm MAN.