Joema
A pleasure to read your posts... "Of course the ultimate goal is delivering a payload. On Apollo 15 the Saturn V delivered a payload of 140,930 kg (310,697 lbs) to low earth orbit. The heaviest shuttle payload was about 23,586 kg (52,000 lbs).
It would have taken six shuttle launches to deliver to LEO the same useful payload as a single Saturn V."
You are also correct to support LOX Rockets against air breathing space-plane lift to orbit, IMO. Cheers
OAP