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or about {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=flip}} longer than an Apollo-era [[Saturn V]] and about half as long as the [[Hindenburg class airship]]s. This would make it the largest airplane, by wingspan, to ever fly.<ref name=nsj20111213>
or about {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=flip}} longer than an Apollo-era [[Saturn V]] and about half as long as the [[Hindenburg class airship]]s. This would make it the largest airplane, by wingspan, to ever fly.<ref name=nsj20111213>
{{cite web |url=http://www.newspacejournal.com/2011/12/13/paul-allen-to-unveil-stratolaunch-systems-today/ |title=Paul Allen to unveil Stratolaunch Systems today |date=December 13, 2011 |work=newspacejournal.com |publisher=NewSpace Journal |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/640oyi1jV|archivedate=December 17, 2011|accessdate=December 13, 2011}}</ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.newspacejournal.com/2011/12/13/paul-allen-to-unveil-stratolaunch-systems-today/ |title=Paul Allen to unveil Stratolaunch Systems today |date=December 13, 2011 |work=newspacejournal.com |publisher=NewSpace Journal |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/640oyi1jV|archivedate=December 17, 2011|accessdate=December 13, 2011}}</ref>
It will weigh in at over {{convert|1200000|lb|kg|abbr=on|disp=flip}} including the fully fueled launch vehicle.<ref name=wa20111213/> The aircraft will be powered by six {{convert|46000|-|66500|lbf|kN|abbr=on|disp=flip}} thrust-range jet engines, that are planned to be sourced from two used [[Boeing 747-400|747-400s]] that will be [[Cannibalization (parts)|cannibalized]] for engines, avionics, flight deck, landing gear and other proven systems that can be recycled to cut development costs."<ref name=aw20111220/> The two aircraft have been purchased and have arrived on site as of March 2012. The original design of the aircraft resembled a larger, 6 engine version of the [[Virgin Galactic]] WhiteNightTwo aircraft. This design was eventually dropped and later redesigned with a [[Bombardier CRJ]] Series aircraft nose and flight deck, with the rest of the aircraft being 100% new. However, after financially accessing the aircraft plans, it was found to be many times more economical and cheaper, to purchase 2 747's and use the aircrafts Nose-Flight deck frame (35 feet long) & the second frame (20 feet long), along with the tail section (35 feet) and final two frames (40 feet long) to dramatically construction, design, development and engineering costs. The tail section will not be the same as the 747, having slight modifications making the tail thinner, and moving the elevator higher. The aircraft will use a newly designed and manufactured wing and middle to aft fuselage, built by Stratolaunch Systems. This newly designed fuselage will extend the 747-400's normal length of 225 feet to 260 feet, which is quite short for its wingspan, leading to the largest length to wingspan ratio of any manned aircraft built.
It will weigh in at over {{convert|1200000|lb|kg|abbr=on|disp=flip}} including the fully fueled launch vehicle.<ref name=wa20111213/> The aircraft will be powered by six {{convert|46000|-|66500|lbf|kN|abbr=on|disp=flip}} thrust-range jet engines, that are planned to be sourced from two used [[Boeing 747-400|747-400s]] that will be [[Cannibalization (parts)|cannibalized]] for engines, avionics, flight deck, landing gear and other proven systems that can be recycled to cut development costs."<ref name=aw20111220/> The two aircraft have been purchased and have arrived on site as of March 2012. The original design of the aircraft resembled a larger, 6 engine version of the [[Virgin Galactic]] WhiteNightTwo aircraft. This design was eventually dropped and later redesigned with a [[Bombardier CRJ]] Series aircraft nose and flight deck, with the rest of the aircraft being 100% new. However, after financially accessing the aircraft plans, it was found to be many times more economical and cheaper, to purchase 2 747's and use the aircrafts Nose-Flight deck frame (35 feet long) & the second frame (20 feet long), along with the tail section (35 feet) and final two frames (40 feet long) to dramatically reduce construction, design, development and engineering costs. The tail section will not be the same as the 747, having slight modifications making the tail thinner, and moving the elevator higher. The aircraft will use a newly designed and manufactured wing and middle to aft fuselage, built by Stratolaunch Systems. This newly designed fuselage will extend the 747-400's normal length of 225 feet to 260 feet, which is quite short for its wingspan, leading to the largest length to wingspan ratio of any manned aircraft built.
The Strato Launch Carrier will be the largest and biggest aircraft ever built, but will jot be the heaviest, nor have the largest [[MTOW]] (Maximum Takeoff weight) , being surpassed by the [[Airbus A380]] at 1.3 Million pounds and the [[Antonov 225]] at slightly over 1.4 Million pounds. <ref name="stratolaunchsystems.com">[http://stratolaunchsystems.com/news.html]</ref>
The Strato Launch Carrier will be the largest and biggest aircraft ever built, but will jot be the heaviest, nor have the largest [[MTOW]] (Maximum Takeoff weight) , being surpassed by the [[Airbus A380]] at 1.3 Million pounds and the [[Antonov 225]] at slightly over 1.4 Million pounds. <ref name="stratolaunchsystems.com">[http://stratolaunchsystems.com/news.html]</ref>
The carrier aircraft is expected to have a range of {{convert|1200|nmi|km|abbr=on|disp=flip}} on air launch missions. Alternative Cargo Transport Missions allow the aircraft to have a range of 17,038 km (9,200 nmi) and carry light loads of up to 15,000 lbs, due to the centre wing attachment mechanism, being the only way for cargo to be transported, making such missions largely uneconomical as a light twin turboprop could easily carry twice as much cargo. SNC's [[Dream Chaser]] spacecraft with a shortened Atlas rocket booster has been proposed by the [[Sierra Nevada Corporation]] to be used as an alternative payload with the Stratolaucher, at first as a possible alternative to Virgin Galatic's White Night 2, which because it can't carry the extra rocket booster, the DreamChaser would only be able to reach [[Low Earth Orbit|LEO]]. In May 2014, SNC ended its contract with Virgin Galactic after they chose to go with their own hybrid rocket engine over SNC's engine for their Spaceship 2 & Spaceship 3 spacecraft, causing SNC to drop the potential use of White Knight Two, and then help support the Stratolaucher project instead. <ref name=aw2011213>
The carrier aircraft is expected to have a range of {{convert|1200|nmi|km|abbr=on|disp=flip}} on air launch missions. Alternative Cargo Transport Missions allow the aircraft to have a range of 17,038 km (9,200 nmi) and carry light loads of up to 15,000 lbs, due to the centre wing attachment mechanism, being the only way for cargo to be transported, making such missions largely uneconomical as a light twin turboprop could easily carry twice as much cargo. SNC's [[Dream Chaser]] spacecraft with a shortened Atlas rocket booster has been proposed by the [[Sierra Nevada Corporation]] to be used as an alternative payload with the Stratolaucher, at first as a possible alternative to Virgin Galatic's White Night 2, which because it can't carry the extra rocket booster, the DreamChaser would only be able to reach [[Low Earth Orbit|LEO]]. In May 2014, SNC ended its contract with Virgin Galactic after they chose to go with their own hybrid rocket engine over SNC's engine for their Spaceship 2 & Spaceship 3 spacecraft, causing SNC to drop the potential use of White Knight Two, and then help support the Stratolaucher project instead. <ref name=aw2011213>

Revision as of 14:19, 14 January 2015

Stratolaunch Systems
Company typePrivate
IndustryAerospace
Founded2011
HeadquartersHuntsville, Alabama
Key people
Paul Allen, Burt Rutan, Mike Griffin
Number of employees
21 (2019) Edit this on Wikidata
ParentVulcan Inc.[1]
Websitestratolaunchsystems.com

Stratolaunch Systems is a space transportation venture specializing in air launch to orbit, with its corporate headquarters located in Huntsville, Alabama. It was founded in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan, who had previously collaborated on the creation of SpaceShipOne.[2] The start up will build a mobile launch system with three primary components; a carrier aircraft to be built by Scaled Composites, a multi-stage launch vehicle built by Orbital Sciences,[3] and a mating and integration system to be built by Dynetics,[4] with the first test flight of the carrier aircraft expected in 2016.[5]

Dynetics will also be "responsible for the systems engineering, integration and testing, which includes aerodynamics, loads, and interfaces."[6] Development costs have been estimated at US$300 million.[7]

History

The project was started nearly a year prior to the public announcement. Dynetics began work in early 2011, and has approximately 40 employees working on the project as of December 2011. Originally, the launch vehicle was to be provided by SpaceX; their efforts began only shortly prior to the public announcement.[1]

In February 2013, Stratolaunch completed construction of their manufacturing and operations facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port with the completion of their second building, a very large hangar facility for the Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft.[8] They completed their first aircraft composites production building in October 2012.[9]

The carrier aircraft was originally expected to make its first test flight in 2015 with a follow on to orbital testing of the launch vehicle in 2016.[10] By October 2013, the first flight of the carrier aircraft was not expected until 2016, with the first flight of the air-launched rocket expected in 2018.[5]

Carrier aircraft

Wingspan comparison of the Stratolaunch carrier with other large airplanes
Main article: Stratolaunch carrier aircraft

Allen and Rutan stated that the carrier aircraft would have a wingspan of 117 m (385 ft),[1][11] or about 6.1 m (20 ft) longer than an Apollo-era Saturn V and about half as long as the Hindenburg class airships. This would make it the largest airplane, by wingspan, to ever fly.[12] It will weigh in at over 540,000 kg (1,200,000 lb) including the fully fueled launch vehicle.[11] The aircraft will be powered by six 205–296 kN (46,000–66,500 lbf) thrust-range jet engines, that are planned to be sourced from two used 747-400s that will be cannibalized for engines, avionics, flight deck, landing gear and other proven systems that can be recycled to cut development costs."[1] The two aircraft have been purchased and have arrived on site as of March 2012. The original design of the aircraft resembled a larger, 6 engine version of the Virgin Galactic WhiteNightTwo aircraft. This design was eventually dropped and later redesigned with a Bombardier CRJ Series aircraft nose and flight deck, with the rest of the aircraft being 100% new. However, after financially accessing the aircraft plans, it was found to be many times more economical and cheaper, to purchase 2 747's and use the aircrafts Nose-Flight deck frame (35 feet long) & the second frame (20 feet long), along with the tail section (35 feet) and final two frames (40 feet long) to dramatically reduce construction, design, development and engineering costs. The tail section will not be the same as the 747, having slight modifications making the tail thinner, and moving the elevator higher. The aircraft will use a newly designed and manufactured wing and middle to aft fuselage, built by Stratolaunch Systems. This newly designed fuselage will extend the 747-400's normal length of 225 feet to 260 feet, which is quite short for its wingspan, leading to the largest length to wingspan ratio of any manned aircraft built. The Strato Launch Carrier will be the largest and biggest aircraft ever built, but will jot be the heaviest, nor have the largest MTOW (Maximum Takeoff weight) , being surpassed by the Airbus A380 at 1.3 Million pounds and the Antonov 225 at slightly over 1.4 Million pounds. [13] The carrier aircraft is expected to have a range of 2,200 km (1,200 nmi) on air launch missions. Alternative Cargo Transport Missions allow the aircraft to have a range of 17,038 km (9,200 nmi) and carry light loads of up to 15,000 lbs, due to the centre wing attachment mechanism, being the only way for cargo to be transported, making such missions largely uneconomical as a light twin turboprop could easily carry twice as much cargo. SNC's Dream Chaser spacecraft with a shortened Atlas rocket booster has been proposed by the Sierra Nevada Corporation to be used as an alternative payload with the Stratolaucher, at first as a possible alternative to Virgin Galatic's White Night 2, which because it can't carry the extra rocket booster, the DreamChaser would only be able to reach LEO. In May 2014, SNC ended its contract with Virgin Galactic after they chose to go with their own hybrid rocket engine over SNC's engine for their Spaceship 2 & Spaceship 3 spacecraft, causing SNC to drop the potential use of White Knight Two, and then help support the Stratolaucher project instead. [4][14] It will use a 3,700 m (12,000 ft) long runway.[10] The first flight of the carrier aircraft is expected in 2016.[5]

Launch vehicle

In the latter part of 2012, Stratolaunch retained Orbital Sciences Corporation on a "study contract" to develop and evaluate "several alternative configurations" for the Stratolaunch launch vehicle through early 2013, with a goal to "keep the world’s largest air-launch-to-orbit system on track for a 2017 test flight." More public information is expected to be released in "the February 2013 timeframe."[15]

By May 2013, Orbital was under contract to develop the Pegasus II for the Stratolaunch air-launch system.[16]

Stratolaunch launch vehicle history

SpaceX

When initially announced in December 2011, the SpaceX Falcon 9 Air (F9A), a Falcon 9-derivative two-stage liquid-fueled air-launched winged launch vehicle, was to be developed by SpaceX.[14] The F9A launch vehicle was to have a launch mass of approximately 220,000 kilograms (490,000 lb) with the ability to insert a 6,100 kg (13,500 lb) payload into low Earth orbit.[4][12][17] A month after the initial announcement, Stratolaunch stated that the launch-vehicle would have only four engines, not the five that were shown in the mission video at the program announcement, and that they would be SpaceX Merlin 1D engines.[18]

Orbital Sciences Corporation

Main article: Pegasus II (rocket)

On November 27, 2012 Stratolaunch announced that they would no longer be collaborating with SpaceX to develop the launch vehicle. Instead, they will engage Orbital Sciences Corporation to design and develop an alternative launch vehicle.[3] In May 2013, the name of the new rocket was publically released: Pegasus II.[16] It is expected to be able to deliver up to 13,500 pounds (6,100 kg) to low Earth orbit.[16]

As of October 2013, the first flight of the air-launched rocket is not expected until 2018.[5]

Sierra Nevada Corporation

Main article: Dream Chaser

Two weeks after losing the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) competition to SpaceX and Boeing on September 16, 2014,[19] Sierra Nevada Corporation announced it has designed a launch system that combines a scale version of the company’s Dream Chaser space plane with the Stratolaunch Systems air launch system.[20]

In late November 2014, Vulcan Aerospace released the results of the SNC/Stratolaunch space transportation architecture, which indicated that a reduced-size Dream Chaser in conjunction with the Stratolaunch-based launch system would provide a number of unique mission capabilities. The system would have an outbound range of 1,900 kilometers; 1,200 miles (1,000 nmi) away from the airport where the aircraft departed, which would allow launches to any given orbital plane for rendezvous with another object in low-Earth orbit on a daily basis. The launch vehicle would be a modified air-launched Orbital Sciences rocket that is approximately 37 m (120 ft) in length. The Dream Chaser payload would be a 75-percent sized version of the Dream Chaser vehicle previously proposed to NASA—while maintaining the relative outer mold line-6.9 m (22.5 ft) in length with a wingspan of 5.5 m (18.2 ft), which could carry 2 to 3 crewmembers plus a variety of scientific and research payloads.[21]

Facilities

Stratolaunch systems has signed a 20-year lease agreement with the Kern County Airport Authority, Mojave, California, for the lease of 20 acres (8.1 ha) at the Mojave Air and Space Port to build a facility for the venture.[22] Stratolaunch has now built a 8,200 m2 (88,000 sq ft) fabrication hangar and a 8,607 m2 (92,640 sq ft) assembly and test hangar near Scaled Composites.[13] Groundbreaking was in early 2012. The first of two manufacturing buildings, the "88,000 square foot facility [to] be used to construct the composite sections of the wing and fuselage sections", was opened for production in October 2012, two months ahead of schedule and on budget.[9][23] Stratolaunch completed their second Mojave building, the very large hangar facility for the Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft, in February 2013.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Mecham, Michael; Frank Morring, Jr. (December 20, 2011). "Allen Places Big Bet On Air Launches". Aviation Week. Retrieved December 23, 2011. Dynetics has been under contract to Vulcan for almost a year and has some 40 employees on the project so far. SpaceX joined more recently, and the overall team is still working through details of how to progress toward its 2016 first launch.
  2. ^ Terdiman, Daniel (December 13, 2011). "Paul Allen's Stratolaunch: Grand plan for next-gen space travel". CNET. San Francisco. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Rosenberg, Zach (November 27, 2012). "Stratolaunch and SpaceX part ways". Flight Global. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Mecham, Michael (December 14, 2011). "Stratolaunch Aims to Break Affordability Barrier". Aviation Week. New York. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d Norris, Guy (October 4, 2013). "Stratolaunch quietly making progress". Aviation Week. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  6. ^ Kelley, Mike (December 15, 2011). "Dynetics to provide systems integration for new commercial space launch system". Huntsville Times. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  7. ^ "Stratolaunch: SpaceShipThree or Space Goose?". thespacereview.com. December 19, 2011.
  8. ^ a b Messier, Doug (February 20, 2013). "Stratolaunch Systems Opens Hangar in Mojave". Parabolic Arc. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  9. ^ a b Lindsay, Clark (October 23, 2012). "Stratolaunch opens production facility at Mojave spaceport". NewSpace Watch. Retrieved October 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |subscription= ignored (|url-access= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b Whittington, Mark (December 13, 2011). "Space Pioneers Announce Stratolaunch Systems to Revolutionize Space Flight". Yahoo.com. Yahoo!News. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
  11. ^ a b Paur, Jason (December 13, 2011). "Microsoft Billionaire Paul Allen Launches New Space Venture". Wired. New York. Archived from the original on December 14, 2011. Retrieved 201-11-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ a b "Paul Allen to unveil Stratolaunch Systems today". newspacejournal.com. NewSpace Journal. December 13, 2011. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
  13. ^ a b [1]
  14. ^ a b Bergin, Chris (December 13, 2011). "Stratolaunch introduce Rutan designed air-launched system for Falcon rockets". NASAspaceflightnow.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  15. ^ "Orbital Sciences Replaces SpaceX on Stratolaunch Project". SpaceNews.com. November 30, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  16. ^ a b c Bergin, Chris (May 25, 2013). "Stratolaunch and Orbital – The Height of Air Launch". NASA SpaceFlight. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  17. ^ "Stratolaunch video stills 2". Stratolaunch Press Kit. Stratolaunch Systems. December 13, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  18. ^ Belfiore, Michael (January 5, 2012). "Stratolaunch: world's biggest airplane to launch spaceships". Retrieved January 14, 2012. The Falcon 4 will be powered by 4 SpaceX Merlin IB engines.
  19. ^ "NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station". NASA. September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  20. ^ "Sierra Nevada and Stratolaunch Team Up on Dream Chaser Space Plane". NBC News. October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  21. ^ Gebhardt, Chris (November 26, 2014). "SNC, Stratolaunch expand on proposed Dream Chaser flights". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  22. ^ "Stratolaunch Systems Signs Lease with Mojave Air and Space Port" (Press release). Huntsville, Alabama: Stratolaunch Systems. May 31, 2011. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  23. ^ Messier, Doug (November 5, 2012). "A Birdzilla's Eye View of the Stratolaunch Hangar Under Construction". Parabolic Arc. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
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