Author Topic: BOEING AirLaunch (Read 3873 times)

XP67_Moonbat · « **on:** 05/29/2011 11:10 pm »

Does anyone have a full presentation on this concept?

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2000/news_release_000302s.html

mike robel · « **Reply #1 on:** 05/29/2011 11:37 pm »

In the 1970's there were tests of dropping Minuteman Missiles from C5As and then there was Project Eclipse.

http://www.spacekb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/space-history/3560/Photos-of-Minuteman-air-launch

http://www.f-106deltadart.com/eclipse.htm

Rocket Science · « **Reply #2 on:** 05/29/2011 11:51 pm »

Have a look at this...
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:2KnbHwXXIroJ:forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D11374.0%3Battach%3D38703+boeing+air+launch&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjMGmnfZcA11v9PDBJseNEwD6_W6rievoXhNsabGgZmw8TmFabz6EEtHw6F3Oz_MG7wXmW3-v8QyI6AxpufDPC-Aj72jDmUJtxRqdUM9QStBGq2hYcFTpSyHT_I784xGmn-Z2_1&sig=AHIEtbQDQrgxK3qxcgaykzAbOMAfjQpH_g

kkattula · « **Reply #3 on:** 05/30/2011 07:22 am »

Quote from: Rocket Science on 05/29/2011 11:51 pm

Have a look at this...
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:2KnbHwXXIroJ:forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D11374.0%3Battach%3D38703+boeing+air+launch&hl=en&gl=ca&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjMGmnfZcA11v9PDBJseNEwD6_W6rievoXhNsabGgZmw8TmFabz6EEtHw6F3Oz_MG7wXmW3-v8QyI6AxpufDPC-Aj72jDmUJtxRqdUM9QStBGq2hYcFTpSyHT_I784xGmn-Z2_1&sig=AHIEtbQDQrgxK3qxcgaykzAbOMAfjQpH_g

Very interesting. Especially the finding that you would need to release at Mach 3+ for a supersonic carrier plane to equal the performance of a high subsonic carry/release.

RanulfC · « **Reply #4 on:** 05/31/2011 03:03 pm »

Not a full-presentation but an overview can be found in this paper on page-6:
http://mae.ucdavis.edu/faculty/sarigul/aiaa2001-4619.pdf
"Boeing AirLaunch. Conceived in 1999, AirLaunch is feasible system design based on today’s technology. Its design goals were to keep development and recurring costs to a minimum. It can support two configurations, placing a Space
Maneuver Vehicle (SMV) into LEO, or launch civil, commercial and military payloads with a Conventional Payload Module (CPM). Thiokol Propulsion would provide existing Castor 120 solid rocket motors for the first two stages and a new
design for the third stage. Solid rockets have shown that they can withstand both the sideways G’s and the high aerodynamic pressure of a horizontal air launch with little penalty in weight. This is because their outer motor case must be sized to withstand the internal pressure of combustion. Solid motor wall thickness is several times thicker (and heavier) than a liquid fueled propellant tank wall thickness. Also the solid propellant itself provides some structural strengthening, particularly in compression.

Note that the SMV is a small, unpiloted reusable spacecraft designed to support a variety of military space missions ranging from satellite deployment to terrestrial and on-orbit support.

The AirLaunch is basically the Lockheed Martin Athena rocket on its side with wings attached.

The launch price of the Athena is currently $22 to $26 million. Adding a wing will increase the cost by a few more million. Unfortunately, the Athena has demonstrated a poor launch record, with 2 failures in 5 launches. The extra drag of the AirLaunch limits launch altitude to about 24,000 ft since mounting it on top of its 747 carrier aircraft causes a great amount of drag. The inherent low Isp (280 seconds) and low propellant mass fraction of solid propellant motors limits AirLaunch to about 6,600 lbs for inserted orbital mass. AirLaunch would need a specially modified 747, which Boeing estimates at $500 million to build and ten of millions of dollars a year to operate.

Boeing AirLaunch is an expendable launch vehicle except for its 747 carrier aircraft and the SMV."

Nothing else seems to come up with websearches or papers. Sorry.

Randy

XP67_Moonbat · « **Reply #5 on:** 06/02/2011 02:12 pm »

Thanks, cool. You know it wouldn't surprise if Boeing kept this concept on the low-level back burner as a handy option, should the need arise.

Probably explains the lack of full, publicly available papers on the concept.

kkattula · « **Reply #6 on:** 06/02/2011 04:56 pm »

Quote from: RanulfC on 05/31/2011 03:03 pm

...
The AirLaunch is basically the Lockheed Martin Athena rocket on its side with wings attached.
...

The previously referenced document shows all liquid stages. Seems to be a couple of years later. So presumably solids were judged to be lacking in performance. Makes sense for a mass limited system.

RanulfC · « **Reply #7 on:** 06/02/2011 08:32 pm »

Quote from: kkattula on 06/02/2011 04:56 pm

Quote from: RanulfC on 05/31/2011 03:03 pm
...
The AirLaunch is basically the Lockheed Martin Athena rocket on its side with wings attached.
...

The previously referenced document shows all liquid stages. Seems to be a couple of years later. So presumably solids were judged to be lacking in performance. Makes sense for a mass limited system.

Couldn't access the google-book from this computer so I didn't see the noted change. However all liquid would require a strong airframe to withstand the pull-up manuever which in the case of solids, (Pegasus/Athena) was incorperated within the structural mass of the solid motor casings. Going to have to try to access the link from another computer and see. Thanks

Randy