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Stratolaunch Systems
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Spaceflight Trainee ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:25 pm
Posts: 47 ![]() |
Just announced today, Paul Allen's Stratolaunch Systems will air launch cargo and crew into orbit on a SpaceX built rocket, lifted to altitude by a huge carrier plane built by Scaled Composites.
http://stratolaunchsystems.com/ http://www.king5.com/news/local/Paul-Al ... 19673.html |
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Moon Mission Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am
Posts: 1401 Location: Exeter, Devon, England ![]() |
Just reading it
EPIC Quote: Designer Burt Rutan, billionaire Paul Allen, rocketman Elon Musk and former NASA boss Mike Griffin are teaming to develop an air-launch rocket system that would use a super aircraft the size of two 747s to carry a liquid-fueled SpaceX booster to 30,000 feet where it would be dropped ![]() ![]() |
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Space Station Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:51 am
Posts: 455 Location: Vienna, Austria, Europe, Earth ![]() |
Just got the news via facebook as well
Watched the video and read http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1112/13stratolaunch/ "epic" was also my first thought, but the longer I'm thinking this through the more doubts I get about it. *) Their plan calls for 2016 test flights (of the plane alone?). NO big aerospace project is ever on schedule, not even Scaled's afaik. Even if the carrier plane is similar to WK2, I guess the schedule could easily slip to at least 2018. They haven't even built the hangar yet. *) The core of SpaceX's competitive pricing is their lean, almost exclusive in house development, production and operation. Stratolaunch looks like taking a lean SpaceX rocket and wrapping it in a ginormous amount of overhead. Air-launch might make sense from an operational standpoint and because of flexibility, but I have to wonder how that could outweigh the overhead in this case? *) What is Mike Griffin doing in that kind of "aerospace dream team"? Don't tell me he has finally given up on Ares/SLS nonsense!? *) etc. Maybe I'm missing the point, but from all the current projects this is the one I am the most skeptic about. (doesn't sound like a proper English sentence, where did I go wrong?) _________________ pride comes before a fall |
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Space Walker ![]() ![]()
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:28 am
Posts: 189 Location: Northern California ![]() |
_________________ Something is impossible until it isn't! |
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Moon Mission Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am
Posts: 1401 Location: Exeter, Devon, England ![]() |
Quote: Maybe I'm missing the point, but from all the current projects this is the one I am the most skeptic about. (doesn't sound like a proper English sentence, where did I go wrong?) Still excited to see what happens here ![]() |
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Space Station Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:51 am
Posts: 455 Location: Vienna, Austria, Europe, Earth ![]() |
Thank you Rob. I just had the feeling that the structure of the sentence was somehow off.
![]() More strange things surrounding that press conference: http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/12/13/ ... a-palooza/ "Birdzilla" I like that ![]() _________________ pride comes before a fall |
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Space Station Commander ![]() ![]()
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:47 am
Posts: 521 Location: Science Park, Cambridge, UK ![]() |
Marcus Zottl wrote: Just got the news via facebook as well Watched the video and read http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1112/13stratolaunch/ "epic" was also my first thought, but the longer I'm thinking this through the more doubts I get about it. *) Their plan calls for 2016 test flights (of the plane alone?). NO big aerospace project is ever on schedule, not even Scaled's afaik. Even if the carrier plane is similar to WK2, I guess the schedule could easily slip to at least 2018. They haven't even built the hangar yet. *) The core of SpaceX's competitive pricing is their lean, almost exclusive in house development, production and operation. Stratolaunch looks like taking a lean SpaceX rocket and wrapping it in a ginormous amount of overhead. Air-launch might make sense from an operational standpoint and because of flexibility, but I have to wonder how that could outweigh the overhead in this case? *) What is Mike Griffin doing in that kind of "aerospace dream team"? Don't tell me he has finally given up on Ares/SLS nonsense!? *) etc. Maybe I'm missing the point, but from all the current projects this is the one I am the most skeptic about. (doesn't sound like a proper English sentence, where did I go wrong?) The real advantage is being able to launch at any time (no weather issues - you fly above it), and to fly to the launch point (over the ocean) which means easier certification and any orbit trajectories. it's also, effectively, a completely reusable first stage. 'Sceptical' I think is the word. |
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Space Station Member ![]() ![]()
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:51 am
Posts: 455 Location: Vienna, Austria, Europe, Earth ![]() |
maybe the "real" reason behind all this is not a technical one at all?
www.parabolicarc.com/2011/12/14/surpris ... space-race This will have quite an impact on the government vs. private space debate. Whatever the true motivation is, this should help to advance the idea of commercial space BIG time! (pun intended ![]() _________________ pride comes before a fall |
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Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:22 pm
Posts: 266 ![]() |
Rocket Scientist wrote: They were working under a DARPA contract that ended. They had no customers. |
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