IPFS News Link • Science, Medicine and Technology
Stratolaunch air launch system for spacecraft comes closer to reality
• http://www.gizmag.com, By Ben CoxworthYou can check out our previous article for a more detailed description of how the Stratolaunch system is designed to work, but here’s the condensed version ...
The spacecraft would be attached to the front end of a 490,000-lb (222,260-kg) multi-stage booster rocket, which would itself be mounted to the underside of the twin-bodied carrier aircraft. That airplane would have a wingspan of over 380 feet (116 m), weigh 1.2 million pounds (544,311 kg), and would be powered by six 747 engines.