Billionaire investor Paul Allen has unveiled a new company, Stratolauch Systems, to provide private rocket launches into Earth orbit from a giant aerial launch platform made up of the biggest airplane in history. The novel launch system will use a giant twin-boom airplane with a wingspan longer than a football field and launch a rocket and space capsule designed by the private spaceflight company SpaceX. See how the Stratolaunch system stacks up in the SPACE.com infographic above.
I believe there's no size limit regarding how big you can make an airplane. But for some reason I picture in my mind that old black and white footage of the wings collapsing in on itself during a take off attempt.
I believe there's no size limit regarding how big you can make an airplane. But for some reason I picture in my mind that old black and white footage of the wings collapsing in on itself during a take off attempt.
Oh, now I want to go watch THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES again.
This huge plane/launching pad idea reminds me of "Captain Scarlet."
SpaceX builds most everything it needs in-house. And it ain't called the Falcon-9 for nothing. Something seems amiss - what is the point of launching a 2-stage rocket from altitude when a 2-stage rocket can be launched from a pad? The aircraft would be subsonic at 30,000 feet. Is this a non-starter?
SpaceX builds most everything it needs in-house. And it ain't called the Falcon-9 for nothing. Something seems amiss - what is the point of launching a 2-stage rocket from altitude when a 2-stage rocket can be launched from a pad? The aircraft would be subsonic at 30,000 feet. Is this a non-starter?
I hear what your saying. Perhaps, less fuel, less weight, less money per flight? Or it could be a trade-off- Less weight for fuel means more weight for cargo.
The fuel to get to 30,000 feet isn't free - the aircraft has to carry it, as well as the fuel to carry itself and the payload. Once the rocket (larger than a missile) is set loose, it has to start gaining velocity to reach orbit.
There was a programme which involved converted L-1011 Tristar wide-body jets being used to haul fairly large (Pegasus) rockets to launch altitude. It was called Stargazer.
Wouldn't it make more sense to use some kind of high altitude airship, with enough size to carry the rocket payload and stay still, than to try and use an aeroplane of any kind?
Wouldn't it make more sense to use some kind of high altitude airship, with enough size to carry the rocket payload and stay still, than to try and use an aeroplane of any kind?
Hey, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near such a thing when it goes 'pop.' Why not build the Space Elevator? It seems there is a new race - one in which rapid turnaround of launch vehicles provides the stage for this new market.
