Another fleet of mini-shuttles would be used to
carry people up and down - they would be the size of a lear jet and have
enough payload capability for six people and little else.

Funny you should say that. There is a company in Oklahoma that plans on
taking a stripped Lear 25 fuselage, bolting it to a basic wing, adding
turbofan engines and a re-useable rocket engine. Take-off and climb to
30,000 feet of the turbofans, light the rocket and climb to 158,000 feet,
then coast to about 330,000 feet before gliding back to earth. All in a half
hour flight.

Perhaps I should have been clearer... "Another fleet of mini-shuttles
would be used to carry people up and down, and get them going five miles
per second to meet with other stuff up there."

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.