Author Topic: Stratolaunch: General Company and Development Updates and Discussions (Read 1052236 times)

Lars-J · « **Reply #2260 on:** 04/08/2019 09:15 pm »

On of the primary limits of air launch is the payload limit. Stratolaunch is probably the practical upper limit (and some would argue beyond practical) for a carrier aircraft, so that limits the mass of an air launched rocket. Which in practice limits you to a LEO payload of 5-10mt. (If you want more capability, you'll need some propulsion breakthrough. But then the same propulsion breakthrough will be available to ground based rockets too)

But the real limit seems to be cost. It just isn't cheaper than ground launch. The question then remains, is the launch site flexibility worth the extra cost? It doesn't seem like it has been so far.

But I look forward to see how VG's approach works out, with a clean sheet rocket based on current technology and a close to off-the-shelf carrier aircraft, how their costs will work out.

Mardlamock · « **Reply #2261 on:** 04/09/2019 11:04 pm »

Quote from: Steven Pietrobon on 04/06/2019 05:13 am

Quote from: Mardlamock on 04/05/2019 09:58 pm
Pegasus is a non-sequitur; developed far before any of the real commercial launchers, and using leftover SRMs.

Pegasus was the first real commercial launch vehicle. Its Orion motors were specifically developed for Pegasus by ATK.

"The Orion family of motors was originally designed for the three stages of the Pegasus launch vehicle."

https://web.archive.org/web/20100415145936/http://www.ltas-vis.ulg.ac.be/cmsms/uploads/File/DataSheetSolidATK.pdf

"We've had this discussion previously. Atonio Elias himself has said the Pegasus solids were derived from technology developed on the SICBM program.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31297.msg1029943#msg1029943

Also, the Orion 32 was derived from the D5 (Trident II) SLBM.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31297.msg1029848#msg1029848"

u/ Kabloona on another thread, i'd forgotten about that little thing...

Steven Pietrobon · « **Reply #2262 on:** 04/10/2019 09:39 am »

See my reply in the Electron F6 thread.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=47797.msg1934034#msg1934034

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #2263 on:** 04/11/2019 01:51 pm »

https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1116335625743945728

Quote

At Mojave Air and Spaceport again this morning waiting on first flight of the world’s largest airplane, though I’m hearing it’s been called off for today. @Stratolaunch @NASASpaceflight

drpepper · « **Reply #2264 on:** 04/13/2019 01:03 pm »

Eating my morning breakfast, I ran across a nice little summary article posted on cnn.com, covering recent events in Stratolaunch. Nothing particularly eye-opening, especially for regular readers of this site, but it was notable for a nice little mini interview with "Jack Beyer, an aerospace and launch photographer for NASASpaceFlight.com". Also included was a copy of the tweet above, as well as a link to the home page.

Congrats to Jack and Chris.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/13/business/stratolaunch-worlds-largest-plane/index.html