Author Topic: Stratolaunch: General Company and Development Updates and Discussions (Read 1052286 times)

Jim · « **Reply #1860 on:** 07/19/2017 11:40 am »

It is a fallacy that short lived satellites can replace ones in GSO. Or that large antennas have been successful on small spacecraft

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #1861 on:** 07/19/2017 12:17 pm »

Brief write-up and speculation about the AF secretary's visit to Stratolaunch yesterday:

Quote

Air Force secretary hints at military space applications for Stratolaunch super-plane

by Alan Boyle on July 18, 2017 at 4:26 pm

https://www.geekwire.com/2017/air-force-secretary-highlights-military-space-applications-stratolaunch-super-airplane/

john smith 19 · « **Reply #1862 on:** 07/22/2017 06:55 pm »

Quote from: Jim on 07/19/2017 11:40 am

It is a fallacy that short lived satellites can replace ones in GSO.

Replace on a permanent basis, no. But expand capacity, or provide temporary coverage I think is viable.

BTW AFAIK most NSS payloads are not to GSO, they tend to be below the inner Van Allan belt IE GPS orbits) or below.

Quote from: Jim

Or that large antennas have been successful on small spacecraft

Historically those large antenna deployments have been from big spacecraft but the experiments with solar sail deployment from cubesats suggests something similar, perhaps more on the scale of a Pegasus XL payload, would certainly be possible.

Again, not necessarily a permanent replacement but capable of providing temporary cover, or augmentation of existing capacity in certain areas.

Jim · « **Reply #1863 on:** 07/22/2017 08:13 pm »

Quote from: john smith 19 on 07/22/2017 06:55 pm

1. Replace on a permanent basis, no. But expand capacity, or provide temporary coverage I think is viable.

2. BTW AFAIK most NSS payloads are not to GSO, they tend to be below the inner Van Allan belt IE GPS orbits) or below.

3. Historically those large antenna deployments have been from big spacecraft but the experiments with solar sail deployment from cubesats suggests something similar, perhaps more on the scale of a Pegasus XL payload, would certainly be possible.

1. One 10 minute pass is not going to cut it

2. Actually, there are few lower than GPS. Weather, radar, imaging and ship tracking are LEO. GSO or Molniya has AEHF, WGS, MUOS, SDS, SBIRS, DSP, relay and multiple SIGINTs.

3. A solar sail doesn't have to worry about the shape.

john smith 19 · « **Reply #1864 on:** 07/25/2017 07:38 am »

Quote from: Jim on 07/22/2017 08:13 pm

1. One 10 minute pass is not going to cut it

True, but a series of small sats could disperse and form a small constellation in the same orbital plane rising, and setting at intervals. That is how Orbcomm deployed.

Quote from: Jim

2. Actually, there are few lower than GPS. Weather, radar, imaging and ship tracking are LEO. GSO or Molniya has AEHF, WGS, MUOS, SDS, SBIRS, DSP, relay and multiple SIGINTs.

Indeed, however Pegasus has launched payloads to well above LEO, such as IBEX, roughly 86 000Km x 258 000 Km. Again the concept is one of temporary, but fast deployed, coverage.

Quote from: Jim

3. A solar sail doesn't have to worry about the shape.

But it is an existence proof that relatively large surfaces can be deployed from relatively small payloads, as are some of the PV blanket tests.

I will also note that Stratolaunch has a payload capacity of 230 tonnes, which could inspire other developers to consider what sort of LV they could hang from that high wing.

Skyrocket · « **Reply #1865 on:** 07/25/2017 08:17 am »

Quote from: Jim on 07/19/2017 11:40 am

It is a fallacy that short lived satellites can replace ones in GSO. Or that large antennas have been successful on small spacecraft

Concerning large antennas on small satellites - there were the small (~100 kg) subsatellite SIGINT satellites of the P-11 series. Some of them featured 2 m diameter dish antennas far larger than the satellite body.

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #1866 on:** 09/19/2017 05:39 pm »

Quote

Started up @Stratolaunch's six 747 engines for the first time this past weekend!

Read more: https://www.paulallen.com/stratolaunch-aircraft-hits-another-milestone-with-completion-of-first-phase-of-engine-testing/

https://twitter.com/paulgallen/status/910191626982531072

seattleavgeek · « **Reply #1867 on:** 09/19/2017 05:55 pm »

Some more pictures from Paul Allen's website: https://www.paulallen.com/stratolaunch-aircraft-hits-another-milestone-with-completion-of-first-phase-of-engine-testing/

vaporcobra · « **Reply #1868 on:** 09/19/2017 10:46 pm »

Came to post the spicy new pictures as well. Definitely a beautiful work of aeronautical art, if nothing else. The same blog post says that Stratolaunch will be conducting tests with gradually increasing thrust, culminating in taxi tests, over the next "several months".

Rocket Science · « **Reply #1869 on:** 09/20/2017 12:52 am »

Quote from: seattleavgeek on 09/19/2017 05:55 pm

Some more pictures from Paul Allen's website: https://www.paulallen.com/stratolaunch-aircraft-hits-another-milestone-with-completion-of-first-phase-of-engine-testing/

Welcome to the forum, great first post contribution!

Comga · « **Reply #1870 on:** 09/20/2017 02:59 am »

Quote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 07/19/2017 12:17 pm

Brief write-up and speculation about the AF secretary's visit to Stratolaunch yesterday:

Quote
Air Force secretary hints at military space applications for Stratolaunch super-plane

by Alan Boyle on July 18, 2017 at 4:26 pm

https://www.geekwire.com/2017/air-force-secretary-highlights-military-space-applications-stratolaunch-super-airplane/

Quote

The plane can take off from any runway that can accommodate a 385-foot-wide, 1.3-million-pound monster.

Written without a winking emoticon or other indication of sarcasm. Amusing

Methinks the Secretary likes unusual aircraft. And getting tours where most cannot. A perquisite

Star One · « **Reply #1871 on:** 09/20/2017 04:50 pm »

Engine test latest step for Stratolaunch’s giant aircraft

Quote

WASHINGTON — Stratolaunch announced Sept. 19 that the company has achieved another milestone in the development of a unique giant aircraft that will serve as a launch platform.

The company said that it successfully tested at its Mojave, California, facility the six Pratt & Whitney PW4056 turbofan jet engines that will power the aircraft. Each engine is capable of producing 56,750 pounds-force of thrust.

The engines came from two Boeing 747 jetliners that Stratolaunch acquired as part of the development of the one-of-its-kind plane. The engines, the company said in a statement, were put through a series of tests, including one where the engines were started one at a time and allowed to idle. “In these initial tests, each of the six engines operated as expected,” the company said.

http://spacenews.com/engine-test-latest-step-for-stratolaunchs-giant-aircraft/

ppb · « **Reply #1872 on:** 09/21/2017 03:59 am »

Quote from: Robotbeat on 06/22/2017 11:58 pm

Quote from: Lars-J on 06/22/2017 11:45 pm
...or he has lost interest, and is seeking investment to get as much $$$ back as he can.

I disagree. A successful Stratolaunch, even if it doesn't pay for its startup cost, would cement Allen's legacy as the guy who bankrolled the biggest airplane ever.

Kinda like Howard Hughes

john smith 19 · « **Reply #1873 on:** 09/21/2017 11:42 am »

Quote from: seattleavgeek on 09/19/2017 05:55 pm

Some more pictures from Paul Allen's website: https://www.paulallen.com/stratolaunch-aircraft-hits-another-milestone-with-completion-of-first-phase-of-engine-testing/

This is just a staggering piece of kit.

I hope the LV that will be attached to it lives up to it.

wilbobaggins · « **Reply #1874 on:** 09/21/2017 03:14 pm »

Quote from: john smith 19 on 09/21/2017 11:42 am

Quote from: seattleavgeek on 09/19/2017 05:55 pm
Some more pictures from Paul Allen's website: https://www.paulallen.com/stratolaunch-aircraft-hits-another-milestone-with-completion-of-first-phase-of-engine-testing/
This is just a staggering piece of kit.

I hope the LV that will be attached to it lives up to it.

Am I right in thinking the current planned supplier is Orbital Atk with a new Pegasus-like?

200 tonnes is an awesome payload but at first glance is there anything near it?
Almost all feasible current/planned vehicles seem either Antares 280t or above or smallsat 50t or bellow (VG, RL ect)
Having no payloads over 1/4 capacity seems like a waste of great engineering. Might as well have gone with a 747 and saved a HUGE amount of cash

maybe carrying 3 rockets at once is a bigger advantage than I think (not very much)

also any update on the dream chaser lite launching possibilities? I guess they went out the window

Robotbeat · « **Reply #1875 on:** 09/21/2017 03:26 pm »

Not even Pegasus-like. Actually just Pegasus.

Hobbes-22 · « **Reply #1876 on:** 09/21/2017 05:10 pm »

Quote from: wilbobaggins on 09/21/2017 03:14 pm

200 tonnes is an awesome payload but at first glance is there anything near it?

Arianespace Vega, 137 tons. It's not designed for horizontal integration, though.

Eerie · « **Reply #1877 on:** 09/21/2017 06:12 pm »

This is an amazing plane, and the first thought I have every time I see new photos is: Y THO? It's like the Space Shuttle again. Beautiful and pointless.

Archibald · « **Reply #1878 on:** 09/21/2017 06:28 pm »

I second your opinion. An astonishing aircraft, but the basic concept is flawed / unuseful. But I'm quite sure such aircraft can find other uses.
Imagine a giant passenger pod with large panoramic windows. Or some big cargo pod.

john smith 19 · « **Reply #1879 on:** 09/21/2017 07:37 pm »

Quote from: Hobbes-22 on 09/21/2017 05:10 pm

Quote from: wilbobaggins on 09/21/2017 03:14 pm

200 tonnes is an awesome payload but at first glance is there anything near it?

Arianespace Vega, 137 tons. It's not designed for horizontal integration, though.

Although being all solid (without the liquid US) it should in principle be able to be carried.