New in the Mojave.

[RPstress]

Seen the latest goings on in the Mojave?

A half million pound payload, six engines, 385 ft wingspan. All carbon, of course. Not unambitious, these Californians.

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/o...rship-sierra-nevada-stratolaunch-join-forces/

http://tinyurl.com/mojaveKGET

(

http://www.kerngoldenempire.com/spe...ir-and-spaceport/84740/3hrM3k6tfEyhH0EWMVkSIw

(10 min movie.)

http://aviationweek.com/blog/inside-rocs-lair

I do like the way Rutan just quietly got on and made 200,000# of structure (about a third? Not sure what the fuel load is) before word got out. (Well, before I heard about it, anyway, but I don't read Aviation Week regularly.)

 

[MikeHalloran]

I like the way Rutan finds a customer before building anything.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[KENAT]

Old news, they announced this project a while back. They bought a couple of 747's to take the engines from - there are a lot of those parked out there at the moment.

I had breakfast at the airport on Saturday, they had a fly in going on so got to see a few classic light aircraft and a random North American Sabre while I ate my cactus & eggs.

Back in school in the late 90's I remember contemplating a similar approach to lower cost space flight, though I was thinking more like the F-15 ASAT - supersonic zoom climb by the air breathing 'mother-ship' before launching the rocket pay load.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[WKTaylor]

'Rutan' is symnomous with 'new unique innovative'...

...although most of his ideas usually lead to onsey-twosey-threesey vehicles for highly specialized purposes. Regretfully, none of these out-there concepts has been successful on a mass [factory] production basis.

His homebuilts did 'take-off en-mass [70's, 80's, 90's]'... but the individualized construction quality and flying skills of each builder, lead to some quirky/variable flying characterstics... some were wonderful machines; some were scary/dangerous machines.

I am certain that this flying whale will fulfill its role of heavy-lift for launch-vehicles.

What I amm curious/concerned about is how this vehicle will be programed for "the drop" [liberation', etc] of a 100,000#+ launch vehicle filled with hyper-dangerous liquid propellants [or is this slated only for solid fuel vehicles?]... including safe separation/escape enelops for routine launches and emerency scenarios [yes emergencies will inevitably happen]. I wonder if there is a crew escape system/process?



Regards, Wil Taylor

o Trust - But Verify!
o We believe to be true what we prefer to be true.
o For those who believe, no proof is required; for those who cannot believe, no proof is possible.
o Unfortunately, in science what You 'believe' is irrelevant. ["Orion"]
o Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. [Picasso]

 

[RPstress]

http://www.orbitalatk.com/space-sys...ight-systems/docs/Stratolaunch_Fact_Sheet.pdf

says "Incorporates both solid and liquid stages". No crew on the launcher at present. Dropping something that is in large part filled with explosives and is that big (550,000 lb claimed) is pretty scary.