The space race between tech billionaires just warmed up – again. Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, whose private space-launch system operates under Vulcan Ventures, rolled out its Stratolaunch aircraft for the first time, and needless to say, it was a big debut. The twin-fuselage, six-engine monster aircraft- the widest airplane in the world – is designed to lift half a million pounds of space-bound cargo.
Once at altitude, the launch vehicle – it could be a satellite or a manned space vehicle – will drop from the Stratolaunch, fire its rockets and head to orbit, or maybe beyond. This strategy greatly decreases the amount of fuel a rocket needs to reach orbit, which, of course, greatly lowers the cost as well. A smaller version of the aircraft is currently used in testing Space Ship Two, a non-orbital space plane designed to give wealthy thrill ride fans a quick taste of space and zero G.
Russia’s giant six-engined Antonov 225 is a bit longer than the Stratolaunch and is currently the largest aircraft flying on a regular basis. The Stratolaunch is set to undergo ground and flight testing before doing a test run of its launch abilities in 2019. More details:
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