A Design Build project that started with discussions between Wallace & Smith and Scaled Composites in 2006. The first phase was the design of the site and two structures, The Fabrication Building and the T Hangar & Office. The actual Design of these two buildings began in the Fall of 2008 and continued through the Summer of 2009 when the funding for the project was pulled. In June of 2011 Scaled Composites approached W&S, by December of 2011 W&S was in contract and began earthwork for the Project.[/url]http://www.wallacesmith.com/project-categories/aviationaerospace/
New feature article via the new L2 content noted recently in this thread.http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/05/stratolaunch-orbital-air-launch/Dedicated thread (please use the new thread, given this one is 79 pages long):http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=32001.0
As for the rocket, the first stage, which is to be reusable, drops into the ocean; the second burns up in the atmosphere; the third puts the satellite into orbit, and eventually that third stage, too, burns up in the atmosphere.[...]Wentz said the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility is the leading candidate, in part because infrastructure for both solid and liquid fuel is already in place. Planners are also looking at the Vandenberg and Edwards air force bases in California and at NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia.
Yeah, writing that up.
That's a nice update article, Chris.
Notice first the much different aspect ratio. The Stratolaunch rocket is fatter and shorter, relatively speaking. Pegasus ended up looking like it did in part because it was modeled after the X-15 that had previously been drop launched from the B-52, and in part because the Orion 50 motors were derived from an already developed land launch missile.Next notice that the first stage is at least twice as long, and maybe longer, than the second stage.
Paul Allen's company Vulcan has now made public a new Stratolaunch animation with Orbital's LV:
Quote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 06/15/2013 08:28 pmPaul Allen's company Vulcan has now made public a new Stratolaunch animation with Orbital's LV:Thanks for the video link.The video mentions a mission range of 1000 nautical miles. Since CCAFS is more than 1000 nmi. from the equator, "any orbit" is possible only if there's another base within about 17o of latitude of the equator.In practice, is there any need at all for low-altitude satellites at inclinations less than 28o?
That 38m RL-10 price tag is the most oft repeated untruth on this site.
