side-mounted

Seems to me we already have a cargo capable side-mounted vehicle.

Today's Video: NASA Shuttle-derived Sidemount Heavy Launch Vehicle Concept - NASA Watch 2009

One of the main reasons the current Shuttle will be grounded next year is that the side-mounted human launch configuration is dangeous.

Downplaying Internal Doubts About Ares - NASA Watch 2009

I agree that a top-mounted manned spacecraft is inherently safer than a side-mounted spacecraft.

Downplaying Internal Doubts About Ares - NASA Watch 2009

But, maybe a side-mounted Orion with a LAS (designed not to get sucked into the fuel tank by a shock wave, of course) would be safer than STS by an order of magnitude, as asserted by the Shannon team.

Downplaying Internal Doubts About Ares - NASA Watch 2009

In the one incident in which a LES/LAS actually saved a crew, the Soyuz booster burst into flame a fraction of a second before the abort system functioned; if the Soyuz had been side-mounted, it would have been consumed (unless the BPC would have been an effective fire-barrier for the time needed).

Downplaying Internal Doubts About Ares - NASA Watch 2009

It is an amazingly capable vehicle, but suffers from the inherent weakness of foam shedding and its impact on the side-mounted orbiter.

Abbey Lane: They're Back - NASA Watch 2009

Is it truly a vehicle which can evolve given the limitations of its side-mounted payload?

Shuttle-C - NASA Watch 2009

In a press meeting, Samsung executives told us that these new 3D sets have several new features, including side-mounted rather than top- and bottom-mounted LEDs, more dimmable zones, and a new lightguide that can more uniformly distribute light across the entire back of the panel.

Samsung 2011 3D TV lineup: Active 3D TVs, ultra-light Bluetooth glasses, and 3D sound 2011

My uneducated guess is it would be faster and cheaper to put a remote control in an existing shuttle orbiter than to develop the side-mounted shuttle and it would buy time to get the Jupiter series developed.

Downplaying Internal Doubts About Ares - NASA Watch 2009

Another alternate version of a man-rated shuttle-C would be to place the Orion crew module and service module on top of the current shuttle fuel tank (joined with an appropriate spacecraft adapter) while the orbital lunar transfer vehicle would be housed above the side-mounted shuttle engines.

Downplaying Internal Doubts About Ares - NASA Watch 2009