What is the purpose of stratolaunch?
Stratolaunch describes the carrier aircraft as “a revolutionary launchpad for hypersonic and aerospace vehicles.” It’s designed to carry launch vehicles that can travel at hypersonic speeds, far exceeding the speed of sound. The reusable Talon-A vehicle under development could reach Mach 6.
What are the advantages of rocket launch?
The principal advantage of a rocket being launched by a high flying airplane is that it needs not fly through the low, dense atmosphere, the drag of which requires a considerable amount of extra work and thus mass of propellant. Higher densities at lower altitudes result in larger drag forces acting on the vehicle.
What is the advantage of launching satellites from spaceports located near the equator would you expect satellites to be launched to the east or to the west Why?
If a ship is launched from the equator it goes up into space, and it is also moving around the Earth at the same speed it was moving before launching. This is because of inertia. This speed will help the spacecraft keep up a good enough speed to stay in orbit.
Did stratolaunch ever fly?
The biggest airplane ever built now has two flights under its belt. Stratolaunch’s Roc carrier plane, which is being groomed to haul hypersonic vehicles aloft, conducted its second-ever test flight Thursday morning (April 29).
What is Stratolaunch and why does it matter?
“Stratolaunch will build an air-launch system to give us orbital access to space with greater safety, flexibility, and cost effectiveness, both for cargo and manned missions.” In the process, the Stratolaunch team hopes to build a new American spaceflight industry.
How big is the Stratolaunch?
How we test gear. Stratolaunch measures 385 feet long—more than 100 feet longer than an Airbus A380. It was built from the pieces of two 747s. It will carry a SpaceX rocket into the sky for an aerial launch. The mega jet is coming.
Can you launch a rocket from a plane?
From there, the rocket will drop from the plane and blast into space. The first payloads will consist of satellites and other cargo, but the program’s backers say the rocket will eventually carry passengers. The Roc will be a flying launchpad—government and private-sector customers welcome.
How does Stratolaunch’s WhiteKnight compare to SpaceShipOne?
Like the Roc, the WhiteKnight carried its payload between twin spars, but the Stratolaunch aircraft’s cockpit is nested at the tip of one spar. Allen won’t confirm Stratolaunch’s price tag, but he says it “is going to end up costing at least an order of magnitude more than what I put into SpaceShipOne [$28 million].”