Stratolaunch: General Company and Development Updates and Discussions

[ZachMild]

Probably time to let this one loose then. From QuantumG's favorite news site, Stratolaunch and SpaceX part ways -- Stratolaunch has tapped Orbital Sciences to find a replacement:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratolaunch-and-spacex-part-ways-379516/

[Jim]

Looks like it is just a plane without a payload.

So, now that Spacex is not involved will the concept:
a.  Lose its kewl factor
b.  have its viability in doubt
c.  and now have a more critical look at it without the Spacex stamp of approval

[yg1968]

Probably time to let this one loose then. From QuantumG's favorite news site, Stratolaunch and SpaceX part ways -- Stratolaunch has tapped Orbital Sciences to find a replacement:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/stratolaunch-and-spacex-part-ways-379516/

I think that Orbital Science is the replacement for SpaceX.

"Moving forward, Stratolaunch has engaged Orbital Sciences Corporation to evaluate and develop alternative solutions with the objective of arriving at a design decision in the early spring timeframe.

[yg1968]

Given that Orbital doesn't have a crewed capsule, I wonder if Stratolaunch will still aim for manned spaceflight.

[corrodedNut]

Looks like it is just a plane without a payload.

Given that Orbital doesn't have a crewed capsule, I wonder if Stratolaunch will still aim for manned spaceflight.

The first thing that pops into my head is Dreamchaser...

[go4mars]

The first thing that pops into my head is Dreamchaser...

For me it's X37-x.

[MikeAtkinson]

Elon mentions a 5% gain from air launch. A Falcon 4 with 5% gain is probably too small for a manned capsule.

I think Orbital are going to really struggle to meet Stratolaunch's performance and cost goals. I would not be surprised if they also pull out after the feasibility study.

[Jim]

Given that Orbital doesn't have a crewed capsule

Yes, it does.  Just not in active development.

[Jim]

The first thing that pops into my head is Dreamchaser...

For me it's X37-x.

Boeing isn't going to compete with itself.

[yg1968]

Looks like it is just a plane without a payload.

Given that Orbital doesn't have a crewed capsule, I wonder if Stratolaunch will still aim for manned spaceflight.

The first thing that pops into my head is Dreamchaser...

At the unveiling press conference, Mike Griffin mentionned that Stratolaunch couldn't launch DC because it was too heavy.

[yg1968]

Given that Orbital doesn't have a crewed capsule

Yes, it does.  Just not in active development.

You are right. OSC submitted a capsule proposal under CCDev-1 which would have been lifted by their Antares rocket. But I don't know if Paul Allen is willing to invest in this capsule.
http://spaceports.blogspot.com/2009/09/orbital-plans-to-develop-cygnus-based.html

[simonbp]

Not just the capsule. OSC designed a winged mini-shuttle called Prometheus that very narrowly lost out to Dreamchaser in CCDev-2. There are probably some raw feelings about that at OSC still today.

Regardless, air-launch Antares, anyone? Call it Pegasus II?

[yg1968]

Not just the capsule. OSC designed a winged mini-shuttle called Prometheus that very narrowly lost out to Dreamchaser in CCDev-2. There are probably some raw feelings about that at OSC still today.

Regardless, air-launch Antares, anyone? Call it Pegasus II?

Prometheus would have used an Atlas V (not an Antares rocket).

[Robotbeat]

Looks like it is just a plane without a payload.

So, now that Spacex is not involved will the concept:
a.  Lose its kewl factor
b.  have its viability in doubt
c.  and now have a more critical look at it without the Spacex stamp of approval

Orbital is far more suited for this sort of project than SpaceX is. Vastly more experience in air-launch, of course.

[simonbp]

Yeah, I'm not suggesting that Orbital would propose Prometheus for Stratolaunch, just that they would probably not be pushing for DC either.

The larger point, though, is that Antares is a much better fit for adapting to Stratolaunch than Falcon. If I understand the article right, the problem with Falcon was all the changes to the first-stage structure that were needed. OSC already subcontracts the first stage structure for Antares, so it would be significantly easier for them to change providers than SpaceX to redesign their production lines.

The obvious contender to build a new first stage structure is Scaled Composites, who were already going to build the wing and fillet for the Falcon (besides the airplane, of course!). A vehicle with a Scaled first stage structure and everything else (engines, avionics, upper stages) common to Antares could be quite a potent combination.

[Paul Howard]

Another bad day for SpaceX.

[yg1968]

Another bad day for SpaceX.

It seems that SpaceX is the one that dropped out of the project.

[mr. mark]

I don't see this as a bad day for SpaceX at all. They still retain all their current contracts and now no longer have to go through expensive retooling. An up front cost savings all around. SpaceX sticks with it's bread and butter launches which continue to bring in new clients.

[yg1968]

I don't see this as a bad day for SpaceX at all. They still retain all their current contracts and now no longer have to go through expensive retooling. An up front cost savings all around. SpaceX sticks with it's bread and butter launches which continue to bring in new clients.

SpaceX may have created a competitor for themselves. For OSC, this could be a good thing, their Antares launcher may be able to find a new market through this venture.

[Lurker Steve]

Looks like it is just a plane without a payload.

So, now that Spacex is not involved will the concept:
a.  Lose its kewl factor
b.  have its viability in doubt
c.  and now have a more critical look at it without the Spacex stamp of approval

Orbital is far more suited for this sort of project than SpaceX is. Vastly more experience in air-launch, of course.

I'm sure they have already had a scaled-up version of the Pegasus already on the drawing board, just waiting for a carrier aircraft more capable than the existing L-1011.

I doubt this would look much like the Antares however. That stage was designed to be launched vertically.