And Another Private Space Company is Born

Tuckerfan · Jun 1, 2017

Crazy billionaire, Paul Allen, re-enters the private space race.

Paul Allen just rolled out the world’s largest airplane, and he is ready to take on the rocketmakers

he initial construction of the massive airplane Paul Allen has been quietly building in the California desert is complete, and the vehicle, which would be the world’s largest airplane with a wingspan wider than Howard Hughes’s Spruce Goose, was wheeled out of its hangar for the first time on Wednesday.

Called Stratolaunch, the plane has some impressive stats: a wingspan of 385 feet, or longer than a football field, and a height of 50 feet. Unfueled, it weighs 500,000 pounds. But it can carry 250,000 pounds of fuel, and its total weight can reach 1.3 million pounds.

But, really ... how big is it? It’s so big that it has 28 wheels and six 747 jet engines. It’s so big that it has 60 miles of wire coursing through it. It’s so big that the county had to issue special construction permits just for the construction scaffolding.

It’s so big that to truly get a sense of it, you have to see it from a distance — like a mountain.

But why is Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Seattle Seahawks, building such a massive plane?

It’s not to carry passengers, but rather rockets. The bigger the plane, the larger the rockets, or the greater the number.

Allen’s Stratolaunch company has partnered with Orbital ATK to “air launch” the Dulles-based company's Pegasus XL, a rocket capable of delivering small satellites, weighing as much as 1,000 pounds, to orbit. The rockets would be tethered to the belly of the giant plane, which would fly them aloft, and once at an altitude of 35,000 feet or so, the rockets would drop and “air launch” to space.

“With airport-style operations and quick turnaround capabilities,” the company said it believes “air launch” is a cheaper and more efficient way to get satellites into space than rockets that launch vertically and can be extraordinarily expensive.

For Allen, it’s all about LEO, or low Earth orbit. He, and others, such as Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, are betting that they can reduce the cost of launching small satellites to space. And that, in turn, will lead to new ways to beam the Internet all across the globe, provide better Earth-sensing capabilities and better communication, and open up all sorts of avenues.

“When such access to space is routine, innovation will accelerate in ways beyond what we can currently imagine,” Allen said in a statement a year ago. “That’s the thing about new platforms: When they become easily available, convenient and affordable, they attract and enable other visionaries and entrepreneurs to realize more new concepts.”

More than a decade ago, Allen had hoped to spark a revolution in space travel when he funded SpaceShipOne, which became the first commercial vehicle to cross the threshold of space. The project ultimately won the Ansari X Prize, and a $10 million award. He then licensed the technology to Branson and moved on to other pursuits. But with Stratolaunch, he is back in the space business.

“Thirty years ago, the PC revolution put computing power into the hands of millions and unlocked incalculable human potential,” he wrote. “Twenty years ago, the advent of the Web and the subsequent proliferation of smartphones combined to enable billions of people to surmount the traditional limitations of geography and commerce. Today, expanding access to LEO holds similar revolutionary potential.”

In a statement Wednesday, Jean Floyd, Stratolauch’s chief executive, said the company would be “actively exploring a broad spectrum of launch vehicles that will enable us to provide more flexibility to customers.”

He added: “Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be actively conducting ground and flight line testing at the Mojave Air and Space Port. This is a first-of-its-kind aircraft, so we’re going to be diligent throughout testing and continue to prioritize the safety of our pilots, crew and staff. Stratolaunch is on track to perform its first launch demonstration as early as 2019.”
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Dayton Kitchens · Jun 1, 2017

I would bet this has lots of military applications as well.

Jenee · Jun 2, 2017

Elon Musk's idea is better. Can't land an airplane without a runway. Where's he going to land this plane at the ISS?

steve2^4 · Jun 2, 2017

Not sure where they're headed.

SpaceX was going to develop the rocket part that would be carried by this plane. That was shelved in 2012 due to economic reasons.

Then Orbital Science was going to develop the rocket based on their 20 year old Pegasus XL. This new rocket dubbed Pegasus II was shelved in 2015 due to economic reasons.

That left only the original Pegasus XL rocket. These guys say they will launch multiples of these per flight. I'm guessing this will wither on the vine due to economic reasons. Orbital Science is quite capable of launching Pegasus XL from their own modified L-1011 aircraft.

The plane itself is cobbled together from 2 used 747s for engines and flight decks by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites. Unless Orbital Science vastly increases their business and needs Allen's plane due to volume, think it's likely to fly into history without launching anything. Maybe the Spruce Goose needs a mate.

Paladin · Jun 3, 2017

Jenee said: ↑

Elon Musk's idea is better. Can't land an airplane without a runway. Where's he going to land this plane at the ISS?
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steve2^4 · Jun 4, 2017

Jenee · Jun 4, 2017

Paladin said: ↑

Jenee said: ↑

Elon Musk's idea is better. Can't land an airplane without a runway. Where's he going to land this plane at the ISS?
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Click to expand...

Uh, no. I'm not serious. Just pointing out the obvious.

Tuckerfan · Jun 4, 2017

Jenee said: ↑

Paladin said: ↑

Jenee said: ↑

Elon Musk's idea is better. Can't land an airplane without a runway. Where's he going to land this plane at the ISS?
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Click to expand...

Uh, no. I'm not serious. Just pointing out the obvious.
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The plane isn't going to space. It's acting like the first stage of a rocket. The payload it carries will be shot into space, but it isn't going anywhere close to space.

Jenee · Jun 4, 2017

I got that. But, it still is no competition for SpaceX. This is why Elon Musk gave up on the "airplane" style rocket.

https://www.theguardian.com/science...on-musk-outlines-mars-colonisation-plan-video

Will Power · Jun 5, 2017

I wonder if private & government sponsoring/funding, working together, would make the construction of a permanent Lunar base a reality?

Stable Moon bases would, should, make things easier regarding space missions.

We could build a "staircase" to Mars, the Asteroid Belt, & beyond. The "stairs" being the ISS, & perhaps other future space stations, & Lunar bases.

steve2^4 · Jun 5, 2017

It didn't go so well in Space, 1999.

Dayton Kitchens · Jun 12, 2017

The Esquire of Gothos said: ↑

I wonder if private & government sponsoring/funding, working together, would make the construction of a permanent Lunar base a reality?

Stable Moon bases would, should, make things easier regarding space missions.

We could build a "staircase" to Mars, the Asteroid Belt, & beyond. The "stairs" being the ISS, & perhaps other future space stations, & Lunar bases.
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No it would not.

Permanent lunar bases would be a major diversion of effort from other deep space missions and would offer no advantages in refueling, vehicle construction or training.

steve2^4 · Jun 12, 2017

It has gravity. This could be an advantage in construction. The moon has rich deposits of titanium (10x that of earth deposits) and other metals and gases. source

Dayton Kitchens · Jun 12, 2017

steve2^4 said: ↑

It has gravity. This could be an advantage in construction. The moon has rich deposits of titanium (10x that of earth deposits) and other metals and gases. source
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And is the equipment to mine and process that titanium sitting on the moons surface right now?

steve2^4 · Jun 12, 2017

No, nor is it sitting in LEO. At least the moon has the advantage of material in a shallower gravity well. Whether this is advantageous over earth based construction depends on the economics of each. The economics are dependent on engineering. I can imagine the Chinese building factories on the moon before us.

Dayton Kitchens · Jun 12, 2017

steve2^4 said: ↑

No, nor is it sitting in LEO. s.
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No. But it is on Earth currently.

Given that it would have to be lifted out of Earth's gravity well along with the support facilities and workers FIRST! It is very doubtful whether having the ore plentiful on the moon and in a shallower gravity well than Earths would be any significant advantage when those things are factored in.

Dinner · Jun 18, 2017

Jenee said: ↑

I got that. But, it still is no competition for SpaceX. This is why Elon Musk gave up on the "airplane" style rocket.

https://www.theguardian.com/science...on-musk-outlines-mars-colonisation-plan-video
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The main competition for SpaceX is the United Launch Alliance. ULA is a bunch of traditional aerospace compa ies using very traditional tech and so their costs are very traditionally high. SpaceX and Allen's company are trying to find ways to bring down costs.

Tuckerfan · Apr 13, 2019

Bailey · Apr 18, 2019

Seems like there is some uncertainty about how this project will continue now that Allen is dead.

Tuckerfan · Apr 18, 2019

Bailey said: ↑

Seems like there is some uncertainty about how this project will continue now that Allen is dead.
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Bummer, because the video of its flight is pretty cool.

Tuckerfan · Oct 11, 2019

I can’t find a non-paywalled link, but apparently, someone’s bought the company and plans commercial flights next year.

Tuckerfan · Oct 12, 2019

Tuckerfan · Apr 29, 2021

Tuckerfan · May 1, 2021

More details on the flight this past week.

Watch The World's Largest Plane Fly Again After Two Years

Over two years after Stratolaunch flew the world's largest aircraft — with its six Boeing 747 engines and 117 meters (385 feet) wingspan — for the first time, it has successfully taken to the air for its second flight at the Mojave Air And Space Port in California, according to a report by The Drive.

As we reported in June 2019, Stratolaunch's future was cast in doubt after only one flight, following the death of its founder, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

The enormous aircraft, dubbed 'Roc,' was originally designed and built for Stratolaunch by a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, called Scaled Composites. Following the passing of Paul Allen, the project was compared to Howard Hughes' H-4 'Spruce Goose,' an ill-fated flying boat project that never hit the skies.

However, in 2019 new ownership steered Stratolaunch away from its original vision as a space payload launcher and in a different direction: namely, towards the increasing demand for hypersonic flight testing platforms.

Though it's still in its testing phase, the Roc dwarfs the world's largest fully operational cargo plane, the Antonov An-225, with its wingspan of 290 feet (88 meters).

The second flight's a charm
The Roc took off from the Mojave airstrip early on Thursday, April 29th. The company teased the second flight almost two weeks ago on social media by posting pictures and a video of the plane undergoing ground taxi tests in preparation for its second flight.

The second flight was originally due to take place on April 19, though this was delayed due to inclement weather. Prior to the launch of the Roc yesterday, a Cessna Citation jet was sent up as a chase plane.

After the successful completion of the Roc's second test flight, Stratolaunch posted on social media that "all results are as expected." However, the company has not released any specifics regarding the test goals or parameters.

Still, the mere fact that the Roc has flown again means we may be closer to seeing the world's largest aircraft undertaking fully operational missions.

As already mentioned, the aircraft was originally designed to launch payloads into space, and has since shifted its focus to hypersonic jet testing. This looks like a smart move amidst the fierce competition in space payload delivery spearheaded by companies including SpaceX — which has more than a hundred launches under its belt — and Rocket Lab, which also aims to fly with reusable rocket boosters.

With the global hypersonic missiles market expected to grow by $101 million between 2020 and 2024, and the US Department of Defense recently announcing hypersonics as one of its top priorities for modernization, the Roc's second flight has the air of an enormous phoenix rising from the ashes.
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Tuckerfan · Jan 19, 2022

They've flown again.

Stratolaunch plane flies again as company prepares for hypersonic tests

Stratolaunch flew its giant aircraft Jan. 16 for just the third time as company executives promise a higher rate of flight activities this year, including the first flight of a hypersonic test vehicle.

The plane, known as Roc, took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California at 11:47 a.m. Eastern. The plane returned to the airport four hours and 23 minutes later after a flight that took the plane to a peak altitude of more than 7,160 meters and top speed of 330 kilometers per hour.

The flight met all of the company’s objectives, including testing the retraction and extension of the landing gear on the left fuselage. The successful flight “meant we were one step closer to hypersonic flight,” Zachary Krevor, president and chief operating officer of Stratolaunch, said in a call with reporters after the flight.

The flight took place nearly nine months after the previous Roc test flight. That, in turn, took place two years after the inaugural flight of the plane, originally developed to serve as a platform for an air-launch system. After that first flight, the company changed ownership and shifted direction to focus on hypersonic flight testing.

Under that new direction, Stratolaunch will use Roc as a platform for launching a series of hypersonic vehicles called Talon. A prototype vehicle, called TA-0, will be flown for a drop test over the Pacific Ocean. That will be followed by the first powered vehicle, TA-1, as soon as the end of the year.

That schedule will require Stratolaunch to accelerate the pace of aircraft testing. “You’ll see us flying more frequently,” Daniel Millman, chief technology officer of Stratolaunch, said on the call. “Before the end of the year, we plan to and hope to launch our first hypersonic test vehicle.”

The next flight will test retracting the entire landing gear of the plane. “That’s when we can really begin envelope expansion in earnest,” Millman said. On the following flight, the company will install the pylon on the central wing segment to which Talon vehicles will be attached.

Krevor and Millman declined to give a schedule for the next test flight, stating that it will depend on the review of data from this flight. The number of test flights will also depend on the vehicle’s performance as they gradually increase the altitude and speed of Roc to that “comparable to what you expect on a commercial airliner,” said Krevor. “It will be our goal to finish out the envelope expansion by the end of this year, and the number of flights will be dictated by the performance of the aircraft.”

Both TA-0 and TA-1 are nearing completion, Millman said, including powering up TA-1 for the first time last month. He added the company is working “hand-in-hand” with Ursa Major Technologies, the company that is providing the rocket engine that will propel TA-1, in qualification testing of that engine.
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We Are Borg · Jan 20, 2022

This flight system, similar to VirginGalactic's, is inefficient and actually worse for the environment than traditional rocket launches.

Tuckerfan · Feb 12, 2022

Tuckerfan · May 5, 2022

Tuckerfan · May 16, 2023

Stratolaunch Releases Test Aircraft From World's Largest Plane, Setting Stage for Hypersonic Flights

Tuckerfan · May 23, 2023

Stratolaunch tables $17 million bid for Virgin Orbit's 'Cosmic Girl'

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