Author Topic: Stratolaunch: General Company and Development Updates and Discussions  (Read 1020999 times)

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37441
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
Yeah, doesn't Scaled make those for Orbital?
No.

Scaled makes the Pegasus wings

Offline kevin-rf

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8823
  • Overlooking the path Mary's little Lamb took..
  • Liked: 1318
  • Likes Given: 306
Does this thing only launch a Dragon or a fairing that happens to be the same diameter as the core stage ? Kind of restricts the number of available payloads, right ?

Not only that, but how do you load the crew into the dragon? What happens  to the crew in event of an accident during takeoff? 
If you're happy and you know it,
It's your med's!

Offline ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
We need more customers for our current launchers.

You could argue SpaceX gets some of that through this. At least component production-wise.

Offline Robotbeat

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39271
  • Minnesota
  • Liked: 25240
  • Likes Given: 12115
(and they seem to want to get away from gov't launch sites).

How many airports have 12,000 ft runways?
Not many... But still a lot easier to take-off from an airport than launch from a launch site, private or not. One of the strengths of airlaunch.
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

Offline Jason1701

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2232
  • Liked: 70
  • Likes Given: 152
What's your take on this, Jim? Is it a good and economical concept? Will it have payloads?

Offline DaveS

  • Shuttle program observer
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8526
  • Sweden
  • Liked: 1199
  • Likes Given: 65
Yeah, doesn't Scaled make those for Orbital?
No.

Scaled makes the Pegasus wings
I'm corrected then.
"For Sardines, space is no problem!"
-1996 Astronaut class slogan

"We're rolling in the wrong direction but for the right reasons"
-USA engineer about the rollback of Discovery prior to the STS-114 Return To Flight mission

Offline hop

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3352
  • Liked: 553
  • Likes Given: 891
Reminiscent of the last item here: http://buran.ru/htm/molniya7.htm

I find this whole thing a bit puzzling, but it will be interesting to see where it goes.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37441
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
(and they seem to want to get away from gov't launch sites).

How many airports have 12,000 ft runways?
Not many... But still a lot easier to take-off from an airport than launch from a launch site, private or not. One of the strengths of airlaunch.

How many airports can support spacecraft processing and propellant loading?
« Last Edit: 12/13/2011 06:04 pm by Jim »

Offline mmeijeri

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7772
  • Martijn Meijering
  • NL
  • Liked: 397
  • Likes Given: 822
We need more customers for our current launchers.

Maybe, but it's Paul Allen's money and he gets to decide what to spend it on...
Pro-tip: you don't have to be a jerk if someone doesn't agree with your theories

Offline Hootz

  • Member
  • Posts: 56
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Allen said in a press release. "We are at the dawn of radical change in the space launch industry. Stratolaunch Systems is pioneering an innovative solution that will revolutionize space travel."

My question is....where are they going to travel TO??

We have no shortage of launchers, a handful of spacecraft are coming online.....

But where is everyone going to go?? I just don't get it I guess....

Offline Chris Bergin

Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline kevin-rf

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8823
  • Overlooking the path Mary's little Lamb took..
  • Liked: 1318
  • Likes Given: 306
How many airports can support spacecraft processing and propellant loading?

Isn't a better question how many payloads can handle rolling down a runway horizontally while fully fueled?

Jim I think between the lines you appear to be seeing holes you can fly two 747's through here ;)
If you're happy and you know it,
It's your med's!

Offline mr. mark

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1996
  • Liked: 172
  • Likes Given: 0
I'm hoping that this takes off from Spaceport America. What a great idea that would be and would get them into hosting orbital operations. If this can be modified for a manned Dragon then I see Virgin Galactic jumping aboard SpaceX Dragon operations. Too soon to tell. 

Offline Robotbeat

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39271
  • Minnesota
  • Liked: 25240
  • Likes Given: 12115
(and they seem to want to get away from gov't launch sites).

How many airports have 12,000 ft runways?
Not many... But still a lot easier to take-off from an airport than launch from a launch site, private or not. One of the strengths of airlaunch.

How many airports can support spacecraft processing and propellant loading?
Not many. :) One wonders, though, if spacecraft integration could be done at Vandenberg and then flown (empty) to another airport before finally taking off, like Pegasus does. Of course, the last airport needs to load the fuel and oxidizer (especially oxidizer).
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37441
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
How many airports can support spacecraft processing and propellant loading?

Look at it this way, would this be able to operate out of LAX, which is right next to Boeing and Northrup Grumman or DEN for LM? 

The infrastructure is going to be the same as a pad and launch site.  Will need LOX and RP-1 tanks/spheres next to the runway, there will need to be a "hot pad" so that the launch vehicle can be loaded with the propellants away from other areas and structures.  This same area can be used for spacecraft to launch vehicle mate. 

Offline M_Puckett

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 482
  • Liked: 96
  • Likes Given: 63
(and they seem to want to get away from gov't launch sites).

How many airports have 12,000 ft runways?
Not many... But still a lot easier to take-off from an airport than launch from a launch site, private or not. One of the strengths of airlaunch.

How many airports can support spacecraft processing and propellant loading?

KSC and Vandenberg come to mind.  Not much else.

Offline baldusi

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8356
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Liked: 2539
  • Likes Given: 8273
I see that they spoke about using the aircraft for cargo, too. It's bigger than the an-225, can carry the same payload, but has 25m extra of wingspan (i.e. not good), needs 150m extra of runway, and it's not based of any known design. I still wonder if they could have looked for a better way to tap into the heavy and oversized cargo market of the an-124/225.

Offline savuporo

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5152
  • Liked: 1002
  • Likes Given: 342
Isn't a better question how many payloads can handle rolling down a runway horizontally while fully fueled?
Perhaps a completely new kind of payloads - i.e. don't think satellites of today. Just a guess.
Orion - the first and only manned not-too-deep-space craft

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37441
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21451
  • Likes Given: 428
I'm hoping that this takes off from Spaceport America. What a great idea that would be and would get them into hosting orbital operations. If this can be modified for a manned Dragon then I see Virgin Galactic jumping aboard SpaceX Dragon operations. Too soon to tell. 

I hope KSC and VAFB.  no need add more duplicate facilities.

Offline Chris-A

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 563
  • Liked: 28
  • Likes Given: 35
Here is a second question, How can this work over land? Crash landing in a desert? Probably only over the ocean.
« Last Edit: 12/13/2011 06:21 pm by Chris-A »

 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0