Quote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 12:13 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 12:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.Still no reason they would't finish their flight test program...Other famous aircraft have flown once and never again. But I’m hoping there is more to the program than “fly it once for Paul Allen”.
Quote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 12:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.Still no reason they would't finish their flight test program...
Quote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.
Quote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not?
Nice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?
As @DJSnM stated @NASASpaceflight, this Stratolaunch aircraft has a gigantic wingspan (even longer than the Saturn V is tall). Thought I'd put this together to compare. It is always hard to get an idea of scale until you see something like this (note the insignificant human). 🤔
Quote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 01:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 12:13 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 12:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.Still no reason they would't finish their flight test program...Other famous aircraft have flown once and never again. But I’m hoping there is more to the program than “fly it once for Paul Allen”.Drive up the company's value as an exit strategy for the current investors? New management holding the purse strings would give Stratolaunch the best chance of reaching orbit.
Quote from: high road on 04/14/2019 09:55 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 01:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 12:13 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 12:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.Still no reason they would't finish their flight test program...Other famous aircraft have flown once and never again. But I’m hoping there is more to the program than “fly it once for Paul Allen”.Drive up the company's value as an exit strategy for the current investors? New management holding the purse strings would give Stratolaunch the best chance of reaching orbit.I’d think there’s a reasonable chance of NG buying them out.
I would think that Virgin Orbit would be more likely to buy the plane/company. They may need a bigger plane if they want to scale up Launcher One (or WhiteKnightTwo for that matter). Northrop Grumman is pursuing Omega which I think will keep them busy and preoccupied for many years to come.
Quote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 01:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 12:13 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 12:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.Still no reason they would't finish their flight test program...Other famous aircraft have flown once and never again. But I’m hoping there is more to the program than “fly it once for Paul Allen”.I don't believe this will be another Spruce Goose, could be a business opportunity...
Quote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 01:20 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 01:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 12:13 amQuote from: Lars-J on 04/14/2019 12:06 amQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/13/2019 11:57 pmQuote from: Lars-J on 04/13/2019 07:52 pmNice to see it flying at last. It is a bizarre looking machine but cool in its own way. But will ever fly again?Why not? You are familiar with recent Stratolaunch developments, I assume? Most employees were kid off, funding drastically cut back after Allen’s death. A plane with no obvious need. I’m just putting 1 and 1 together here to draw the semi-obvious conclusion, but I hope I am wrong.Still no reason they would't finish their flight test program...Other famous aircraft have flown once and never again. But I’m hoping there is more to the program than “fly it once for Paul Allen”.I don't believe this will be another Spruce Goose, could be a business opportunity...I agree. Although the Spruce Goose was intended for carrying troops and tanks across the Atlantic in WW2, the Stratolaunch rocket launch platform is for peacetime purposes. The opportunity will rise for Stratolaunch to fly again when it is used for a rocket launch.
B-52 solution:
Quote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 11:48 pmB-52 solution:That's the big problem with parachute-assisted landings.. you can't use them in a cross-wind. And castoring landing gear adds a whole other dimension of complexity.
Quote from: CameronD on 04/14/2019 11:53 pmQuote from: Rocket Science on 04/14/2019 11:48 pmB-52 solution:That's the big problem with parachute-assisted landings.. you can't use them in a cross-wind. And castoring landing gear adds a whole other dimension of complexity.Cameron, I wasn't referring to using a chute. The B-52 mains don't castor, you actually steer them with a tiller...
He still did a great job for the first landing!
Quote from: ncb1397 on 04/14/2019 01:14 pmI would think that Virgin Orbit would be more likely to buy the plane/company. They may need a bigger plane if they want to scale up Launcher One (or WhiteKnightTwo for that matter). Northrop Grumman is pursuing Omega which I think will keep them busy and preoccupied for many years to come.Not a bigger plane, as LauncherOne is still quite small (57,000lb) for the 747's carrying capacity (upwards of 200,000lb). If Virgin wanted to air launch something double or even triple the size, the 747 is still an option with much more extensive modifications than they've done to date. Possibly quite expensive, but much simpler than Stratolaunch and there's a glut of surplus 747s being retired.
