Stratolaunch and Orbital - The Height of Air Launch

[edkyle99]

Time to recalibrate our thinking on this business.  This is happening. 
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1203/19boeing702sp/
http://www.boeing.com/boeing/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/702/702SP.page
 - Ed Kyle

Perhaps I'm mis reading these articles but they seem to be saying Boeing can do a smaller sized comm sat (702SP) and may offer a version with electric orbit raising. That's not the same thing as a 702SP with electric orbit raising now.

Boeing offers them and have orders.  Four all-electric 702SPs have been sold and are being built with launch 2015 or 2016.  Likely more on the way; see: New Boeing Satellite Platform Drawing Lots of Customer Interest, SpaceNews, Mar 19, 2013

Most of the major satellite builders have announced similar "all electric" plans.  It stands to reason that Orbital, which already builds 3 tonne bipropellant GEO sats, is also considering plans along these lines.

 - Ed Kyle

[john smith 19]

Most of the major satellite builders have announced similar "all electric" plans.  It stands to reason that Orbital, which already builds 3 tonne bipropellant GEO sats, is also considering plans along these lines.

I've looked a little deeper and it seems the ATK Hall thrusters were quite an important part of the rescue of the defense satellite but what I'm also seeing is there is some concern about radiation damage to the solar panels during the process. Knocking down BOL efficiency suggests a lower EOL power level. So the question is does all the liquid propellant mass you saved by your 6 month orbit raising procedure get spent in bigger (or more expensive) PV panels to make good on the efficiency loss? That's now on top of how much more on orbit life does an all electric propulsion system give you.

No doubt the sat mfgs have models on this but I've a suspicion quite a few people will be holding back till they've seen what the on orbit performance of these early adopters is.

Does that leave still leave a big enough market for Stratolaunch to chase or can they wait for the comm sat market to catch up and be ready to launch on their LV? Assuming it launches (optimistically) start of Q414 its maybe Apr 2015 before its on orbit, then its 2-21/2 years after that minimum before other operators will want to launch (assuming the like the BOL results immediately).

So could Stratolaunch be ready to launch a totally new launch system by April 2017-sep 2017? Given Stratolaunch annouced in dec 2011 that's 5-6 years to be ready for this potential crop of low(ish) mass comm sat orders.

The $64m question?  Can they do it? It sounds kind of tight for a new aircraft * new 2 stage LV, which suggest plenty of "unknown unknowns" to find.

[yg1968]

STRATOLAUNCH ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ORBITAL SCIENCES TO DESIGN, ASSEMBLE, INTEGRATE AND TEST THE AIR LAUNCH VEHICLE

HUNTSVILLE, AL, June 3, 2013- Space technology leader Orbital Sciences Corporation has joined Stratolaunch Systems team to design, build, and operate Stratolaunch's redesigned air launch rocket system. Orbital's involvement is key in realizing Stratolaunch System's vision to provide orbital access with greater safety, cost effectiveness and flexibility. The agreement was finalized after a nine-month research period in which Stratolaunch charged Orbital with developing a comprehensive operational concept for its air-launch system, including the unique design of the rocket and operational processes and procedures that will need to be in place to operate the system. Going forward, Orbital will be responsible for the program's overall systems engineering, as well as the development, production, integration, test, and operations of the air launch vehicle and related support systems.

Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and space systems for commercial, military, and civil government customers. The company's primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low-earth orbit, geosynchronous earth orbit and planetary exploration spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-related space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target vehicles.

http://www.stratolaunch.com/news.html

[yg1968]

Here is the full press release:

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/06/03/stratolaunch-formalizes-orbital-sciences-partnership/

The Stratolaunch ALV system will be capable of launching government and commercial payloads up to 15,000 lbs. range to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and smaller payloads to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

This is new. It look like the payload capacity went up to 15,000 pounds. It was 13,500 pounds before.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Alan Boyle also has a piece about it: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/03/18727669-stratolaunch-firms-up-its-relationship-with-orbital-for-air-launch-system?lite

[john smith 19]

Alan Boyle also has a piece about it: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/03/18727669-stratolaunch-firms-up-its-relationship-with-orbital-for-air-launch-system?lite

Interestingly this puts their IOC data just a little after the time I thought comm sat operators would be evaluating and placing orders for all electric sats that would take a slow route through the Van Allan belts.


So 4 1/4 years to a)Build (by some standards) the worlds biggest aircraft and b)Build a new 3 stage rocket (2 solid and 1 liquid) to hang on it.

Would anyone not characterize that schedule as "challenging"?

[RanulfC]

Would anyone not characterize that schedule as "challenging"?

No really... The CHALLENGING part was putting the bathroom in the other fuselage and making it NOT look like you're just messing with the flight crew!

Randy

[RanulfC]

Going to post this here and in the L2 section as well. I don't know if anyone recalls a 2005 concept called "Configurable Air Transport Systems" or CATS by Mike Snead, but here's a link to the paper:
http://mikesnead.net/resources/cat/tech_paper_configurable_air_transport.pdf

The picture on page 15 always had me thinking of three C-130 sized rockets instead of cargo pods

I bring it up because there is currently a European repeat of the idea called "Clip-Air" which ties the entire air-cargo system into the railroad system. (Which for Europe makes a lot of sense) See the concept here:
http://clipair.epfl.ch/

If anyone happens to be going to the Paris Airshow they will have a booth and one might inquire if they are at all inclined in the air-launch direction

Applicability here is I have always suspected something like this as a "secondary" objective to the StratoLaunch business plan because I know both the military and airlines are "interested" in seeing a demonstration of such a system along with the "Blended-Wing-Body" aircraft but in either case actual adoption of the system will require major changes in operations and facilities.

Just a thought...

Randy