Stratolaunch: General Company and Development Updates and Discussions

[alexw]

OK, let me approach the issue a different way: assuming that horizontal carriage requires some sort of modifications for a launch vehicle, what is the mass penalty?

Have no way computing the mods needed to convert a vertically launched vehicle to a suspended airlaunch vehicle.

       Antonioe may be able to shed a little light on this, at least some rules of thumb from one set of vehicles. Danderman, if you search I think you'll find an illuminating series of posts on the Pegasus design trades that led to the choice of a wing, the wing placement, and the pull-up maneuver.
      Taurus would seem to be an example of converting back the other way.
                -Alex

[Danderman]

The recently obtained airframe for one half of WK3.

[Blackstar]

Have they produced updated images of what their aircraft will look like? The ones on the website don't look appreciably different than the early ones.

[MP99]

Have they produced updated images of what their aircraft will look like? The ones on the website don't look appreciably different than the early ones.

ISTR that the plans for the plane were quite advanced - their hand was forced in announcing because they'd got to the stage they needed to start buying planes and building the hangar.

I suspect this is why the design hasn't changed - it had already evolved before it was announced.

cheers, Martin

[Garrett]

Have they produced updated images of what their aircraft will look like? The ones on the website don't look appreciably different than the early ones.

ISTR that the plans for the plane were quite advanced - their hand was forced in announcing because they'd got to the stage they needed to start buying planes and building the hangar.

I suspect this is why the design hasn't changed - it had already evolved before it was announced.

An alternative possibility could be that the published images are of an early design and that they will hold off releasing any recent design info until the final aircraft is revealed.
Scaled and Allen have a history of being secretive and my guess is that they will remain that way for this project. So I expect the final design to be noticeably different from what we've seen so far.
That's my two cents of armchair speculation 

[simonbp]

The recently obtained airframe for one half of WK3.

Not quite; the 747s will donate all their internal systems to the Birdzilla (cockpit, wiring, landing gear, hydraulics, etc), but the airframe itself will be an entirely new structure built from composite by Scaled.

[docmordrid]

Wonder if they'll go with the obvious and name it White Knight Three or not?

[Space Junkie]

Wonder if they'll go with the obvious and name it White Knight Three or not?

Might be bad for Virgin from a marketing perspective. To a layman WK2 would seem like last year's model.

Stratolaunch may want to differentiate themselves from Virgin too.

This is more speculative, but Burt Rutan might also object on aesthetic grounds. WK1 and especially WK2 are objects of supreme beauty (to my eyes anyway), but Burt has criticized the appearance of the current design:

http://www.economist.com/node/21556101

“But when I saw the latest Stratolaunch drawings, I beat them up some, because it was just so…ugly.”

Mr. Rutan is not in charge anymore. However, if he thought the plane was too ugly to be called White Knight Three, I think they would respect his wishes.

[gin455res]

Which vehicle could carry wider loads a superguppy or stratolaunch?

[Danderman]

The 747 parked out by the hanger has been stripped of its engines and some other components.

[go4mars]

Which vehicle could carry wider loads a superguppy or stratolaunch?

Definately stratolaunch (if it gets a cargo module).

[Danderman]

The new hangar is being erected behind the office building, and I think at least one 747 is parked in there.

[go4mars]

Wikipedia (I know) says that X-37C will be about 165-180% larger than X37B whose height is 2.9 meters, so X-37C might be 4.8-5.2 meters. 

x37c might be stratolaunchable based on that one metric.  Of course there are others, but I don't think we know enough to know what the limit/performance will be.

[vulture4]

Wikipedia (I know) says that X-37C will be about 165-180% larger than X37B whose height is 2.9 meters, so X-37C might be 4.8-5.2 meters. 

x37c might be stratolaunchable based on that one metric.  Of course there are others, but I don't think we know enough to know what the limit/performance will be.

But what would provide upper stage propulsion?

[go4mars]

Wikipedia (I know) says that X-37C will be about 165-180% larger than X37B whose height is 2.9 meters, so X-37C might be 4.8-5.2 meters. 

x37c might be stratolaunchable based on that one metric.  Of course there are others, but I don't think we know enough to know what the limit/performance will be.

But what would provide upper stage propulsion?

Raptor or raptor derivative?

[Comga]

Wikipedia (I know) says that X-37C will be about 165-180% larger than X37B whose height is 2.9 meters, so X-37C might be 4.8-5.2 meters. 

x37c might be stratolaunchable based on that one metric.  Of course there are others, but I don't think we know enough to know what the limit/performance will be.

Is there anything other than a size and weight similarity to suggest that this is being considered by anyone other than internet rocket lego conceptualizers?  Someone who might not, for instance try to convert StratoLaunch into an adjective?   How many nonexistant  systems can be combined into a no consequence mental image?  Why not add a reusable hypersonic ramjet booster?  (Oh wait.  DARPA announced that....)

[RanulfC]

Why not add a reusable hypersonic ramjet booster?  (Oh wait.  DARPA announced that....)

Wasn't that Boeing?

Randy

[yg1968]

Stratolaunch passes PDR:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratolaunch-carrier-aircraft-passes-preliminary-design-review-376466/

[HMXHMX]

Stratolaunch passes PDR:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratolaunch-carrier-aircraft-passes-preliminary-design-review-376466/

That's the a/c only.  What about the launch vehicle?

[thydusk666]

Stratolaunch passes PDR:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratolaunch-carrier-aircraft-passes-preliminary-design-review-376466/

That's the a/c only.  What about the launch vehicle?

"Configuration of the rocket, built by SpaceX, has not yet been finalised. "