Commercial space flight shows reignited interest in the Air Launch system

[Chris Bergin]

Didn't want to just rehash the Virgin Galactic presser, so wrote an overview of Air Launch around the news.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/07/commercial-shows-reignited-interest-air-launch-system/

[docmordrid]

Good review Chris!

It certainly seems that air launch's advantages have finally caught on.  Next step: supersonic motherships that can release Heavy class payloads at >100 kft. (hey, I can dream )

[Silmfeanor]

excellent article Chris!

(Thanks for the timing correction - Chris).

[kirghizstan]

Good review Chris!

It certainly seems that air launch's advantages have finally caught on.  Next step: supersonic motherships that can release Heavy class payloads at >100 kft. (hey, I can dream )

OT sorry.

has anyone ever proposed doing this with a XB-70 Valkyrie type mothership?

[Downix]

Good review Chris!

It certainly seems that air launch's advantages have finally caught on.  Next step: supersonic motherships that can release Heavy class payloads at >100 kft. (hey, I can dream )

OT sorry.

has anyone ever proposed doing this with a XB-70 Valkyrie type mothership?

I have, but who listens to me.

[Rocket Science]

Nice article Chris! I like the side by side comparison of the various systems. I have my own idea, but I’ll just keep to myself for now…

[Rocket Science]

Good review Chris!

It certainly seems that air launch's advantages have finally caught on.  Next step: supersonic motherships that can release Heavy class payloads at >100 kft. (hey, I can dream )

OT sorry.

has anyone ever proposed doing this with a XB-70 Valkyrie type mothership?

I have, but who listens to me.

I do!

[Chris Bergin]

Nice article Chris! I like the side by side comparison of the various systems. I have my own idea, but I’ll just keep to myself for now…

Cheers Robert. Was kinda required to give Pegasus its props, while noting it's exciting to see new vehicles.

[docmordrid]

Good review Chris!

It certainly seems that air launch's advantages have finally caught on.  Next step: supersonic motherships that can release Heavy class payloads at >100 kft. (hey, I can dream )

OT sorry.

has anyone ever proposed doing this with a XB-70 Valkyrie type mothership?

I have, but who listens to me.

I do!

This was the whole idea behind the Blackstar program.

[darkenfast]

Good article. I like the way you showed just how much penalty there is for gravity, pressure and drag, respectively.

[zt]

"designer Burt Rutan is developing" - I think that is incorrect. Burt Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, is doing the work, but not Burt Rutan himself. He is retired and this work is done by his successors. I think he said the Stratolauncher is ugly.

[docmordrid]

....Burt Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, is doing the work....

That would be Northrop Grumman's company now.

[sdsds]

No mention of the AirLaunch LLC "QuickReach" concept? Is that because it would have been dropped out the back of a cargo aircraft rather than strapped underneath?

[zt]

No mention of C-5 Galaxy / Minuteman air launch system?

[docmordrid]

And on the lighter-than-air front, Rockoon?

[douglas100]

Vozdushniy Start? 

[GClark]

Or some blasts from the past:

Pilot
Caleb/Hi-Hoe
Sparoair
Genie ALARR
Bold Orion
High Virgo
ASM-135A ASAT
A whole bunch of X-craft
(ISTR a large variety of air-launched combos in the early years at Wallops)

Not all orbital, true...

[vulture4]

Interesting article. The long pole in air launch has always been the launch aircraft. Pegasus can only met the small LEO market, which is quite small. Anything larger requires a new, very large custom-designed aircraft.

Rather than simply competing with Pegasus for a handful of launches, maybe Orbital or Virgin could propose testing a small test rocket (with the Stagazer or WKII) that would demonstrate the use of cryogenic liquid propellants in an air-launched rocket, either with active cooling or with inflight propellant loading. This would fill in a lot of uncertainties.