Paul Allen’s colossal Stratolaunch plane emerges from its lair
Paul Allen’s 250-ton Stratolaunch airplane finally rolled out of its hangar Wednesday in Mojave, Calif. It won’t launch a rocket into space any sooner than 2019, and Stratolaunch faces skepticism about its business plan for delivering satellites to orbit.
Paul Allen’s monstrous Stratolaunch airplane finally rolled out
of its hangar in Mojave, Calif., Wednesday, showing off its
complete twin-hulled majesty for the first time.
of its hangar in Mojave, Calif., Wednesday, showing off its
complete twin-hulled majesty for the first time.
It will now spend many months on ground tests ahead of a first
flight. And it’s not expected to be used to launch a rocket into
space — a mission that some observers are skeptical will ever
make business sense — any sooner than 2019.
flight. And it’s not expected to be used to launch a rocket into
space — a mission that some observers are skeptical will ever
make business sense — any sooner than 2019.
Two tugs pulled the 250-ton giant from the hangar where it
was built for Allen’s Stratolaunch Systems company by
Scaled Composites, the specialty airplane development firm
founded by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan.
was built for Allen’s Stratolaunch Systems company by
Scaled Composites, the specialty airplane development firm
founded by aviation pioneer Burt Rutan.
Over the past few weeks, mechanics removed the last of
the three-story scaffolding that had surrounded the aircraft
during construction, leaving the aircraft’s full weight to rest
on its 28 wheels for the first time.
the three-story scaffolding that had surrounded the aircraft
during construction, leaving the aircraft’s full weight to rest
on its 28 wheels for the first time.
Jean Floyd, chief executive at Stratolaunch Systems, said in a statement that the empty airplane, powered by six used 747 engines, weighs approximately 500,000 pounds.
“That may sound heavy,“ Floyd acknowledged. “But remember that the Stratolaunch aircraft is the world’s largest plane by wingspan, measuring 385 feet. By comparison, a National Football League field spans only 360 feet.”
The plane — nicknamed the Roc, after a mythical Middle Eastern bird so big it could carry an elephant in its claws — will have a three-person crew: pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer.
They’ll be in the flight deck of the starboard fuselage, maneuvering the plane from far to the right of its centerline,
while the port fuselage cockpit is empty and unpressurized.
while the port fuselage cockpit is empty and unpressurized.
Stratolaunch is intended to carry a rocket slung beneath the
central part of the wing, between the two fuselages, and
release it at 35,000 feet. The concept is that the rocket will
then launch into space and deliver satellites into orbit.
central part of the wing, between the two fuselages, and
release it at 35,000 feet. The concept is that the rocket will
then launch into space and deliver satellites into orbit.
For comparison, the empty weight of the world’s largest
airliner, the double-decker Airbus A380 designed to carry
around 550 passengers, is 610,000 pounds.
airliner, the double-decker Airbus A380 designed to carry
around 550 passengers, is 610,000 pounds.
And the empty weight of Boeing’s largest jet, the 747-8, is
a paltry 435,000 pounds.
a paltry 435,000 pounds.
Paul Allen’s aircraft is 238 feet from nose to tail, and it
stands 50 feet tall from the ground to the top of the vertical tail.
stands 50 feet tall from the ground to the top of the vertical tail.
It will carry about 250,000 pounds of fuel and a rocket payload
of up to 550,000 pounds or 275 tons, giving it a maximum
takeoff weight of 1.3 million pounds — equal to the fully
loaded weight of the A380.
of up to 550,000 pounds or 275 tons, giving it a maximum
takeoff weight of 1.3 million pounds — equal to the fully
loaded weight of the A380.
There’s plenty of skepticism about Stratolaunch’s business
plan for delivering satellites to orbit using this behemoth plane.
plan for delivering satellites to orbit using this behemoth plane.
Since Allen first put forward the idea in 2011, both Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin have successfully pioneered new reusable ground-launched rockets that are already dramatically lowering the cost of access to space.
And the satellite business has changed, with demand shifting
toward small satellites going to low earth orbit, not the huge,
minivan-sized satellites that used to be standard.
toward small satellites going to low earth orbit, not the huge,
minivan-sized satellites that used to be standard.
The airplane may be simply too colossal and therefore too expensive to be used to launch smaller satellites.
Progess on the project has been slow. A year ago, Stratolaunch’s leadership indicated that it hoped for a rollout by the end of 2016.
Yet driven by Allen’s passion for space and science fiction and
funded by his virtually bottomless purse — courtesy of
co-founding Microsoft more than 40 years ago — construction
of the airframe is complete and the Roc has finally emerged
to the light of day.
funded by his virtually bottomless purse — courtesy of
co-founding Microsoft more than 40 years ago — construction
of the airframe is complete and the Roc has finally emerged
to the light of day.
Floyd on Wednesday laid out an extended timeframe, though
he didn’t specify when the aircraft might first take to the air.
he didn’t specify when the aircraft might first take to the air.
“Over the coming weeks and months” at the Mojave Air and
Space Port, the aircraft will undergo “ground testing, engine
runs, taxi tests, and ultimately first flight,” Floyd said.
Space Port, the aircraft will undergo “ground testing, engine
runs, taxi tests, and ultimately first flight,” Floyd said.
“Stratolaunch is on track to perform its first launch
demonstration as early as 2019,” he added.
demonstration as early as 2019,” he added.
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