Announcement

Collapse

Natural Science 301 Guidelines

This is an open forum area for all members for discussions on all issues of science and origins. This area will and does get volatile at times, but we ask that it be kept to a dull roar, and moderators will intervene to keep the peace if necessary. This means obvious trolling and flaming that becomes a problem will be dealt with, and you might find yourself in the doghouse.

As usual, Tweb rules apply. If you haven't read them now would be a good time.

Forum Rules: Here
See more
See less

World's biggest plane, Stratolaunch, marks another key milestone

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • World's biggest plane, Stratolaunch, marks another key milestone

    World's biggest plane, Stratolaunch, marks another key milestone

    stratolaunch.jpg

    Rockets have been the way to get satellites into orbit since the dawn of the space age. But Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen hopes to shake that up with help from the world’s biggest airplane.

    “Stratolaunch” is a 500,000-pound beast with twin fuselages and a wingspan of 385 feet. Allen’s Seattle-based company, Stratolaunch Systems, is developing it as a platform for lifting rockets into the stratosphere before launching them into space. It’s seen as a cheaper, more reliable route to low-Earth orbit (LEO) — the sweet spot for many kinds of satellites.

    The plane is still in development and has yet to fly, but last December it taxied out onto the runway at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. In another test last Sunday, it hit a new top taxi speed of 46 miles per hour. If all goes according to plan, the plane will take its first test flight next year. As to when Stratolaunch might begin commercial operations, no date has been given.
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    But as much as it's touted "the biggest", it's not as "bigger" as I thought.

    comparison.jpg

    Its wingspan is definitely longer, but its 'sleeker', and not as big nose to tail.
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
      But as much as it's touted "the biggest", it's not as "bigger" as I thought.

      [ATTACH=CONFIG]26787[/ATTACH]

      Its wingspan is definitely longer, but its 'sleeker', and not as big nose to tail.
      probably because it is meant to carry and launch rockets.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Sparko View Post
        probably because it is meant to carry and launch rockets.
        It is, but that seems to be one of the concerns --- its payload won't be very great.
        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

        Comment


        • #5
          From that same article...

          But the Stratolaunch concept has its drawbacks, including a smaller payload capacity than other options.

          A spacecraft typically weighs just 1-2 percent as much as the rocket that launches it, Hudson says. Since Stratolaunch is designed to carry up to 550,000 pounds, its payload capacity is likely to be 5,000 to 10,000 pounds. That’s enough to ferry astronauts to a space station or launch small satellites. But it’s nowhere near the payload capacity of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

          SpaceX’s booster can carry 50,265 pounds to low-Earth orbit and up to 18,300 pounds to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), an intermediate orbit where large communication satellites are launched to before they power themselves to geostationary orbit, where they essentially hover above the same part of the planet continuously.
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
            But as much as it's touted "the biggest", it's not as "bigger" as I thought.

            [ATTACH=CONFIG]26787[/ATTACH]

            Its wingspan is definitely longer, but its 'sleeker', and not as big nose to tail.
            But the Hercules never went into service - it only existed as a prototype, and only flew during testing.* The stratolaunch is bigger than anything that has actually been used.

            *The flight to Melanesia doesn't count for obvious reasons.
            Jorge: Functional Complex Information is INFORMATION that is complex and functional.

            MM: First of all, the Bible is a fixed document.
            MM on covid-19: We're talking about an illness with a better than 99.9% rate of survival.

            seer: I believe that so called 'compassion' [for starving Palestinian kids] maybe a cover for anti Semitism, ...

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
              From that same article...

              ... A spacecraft typically weighs just 1-2 percent as much as the rocket that launches it, Hudson says. Since Stratolaunch is designed to carry up to 550,000 pounds, its payload capacity is likely to be 5,000 to 10,000 pounds. ...
              That's like saying that because an ant can carry 500 times its own body weight, a human can too. It's absurd. You can't legitimately apply limitations or capabilities of one design/structure/technology to another radically different one.
              Jorge: Functional Complex Information is INFORMATION that is complex and functional.

              MM: First of all, the Bible is a fixed document.
              MM on covid-19: We're talking about an illness with a better than 99.9% rate of survival.

              seer: I believe that so called 'compassion' [for starving Palestinian kids] maybe a cover for anti Semitism, ...

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Roy View Post
                That's like saying that because an ant can carry 500 times its own body weight, a human can too. It's absurd. You can't legitimately apply limitations or capabilities of one design/structure/technology to another radically different one.
                Yeah, I was still contemplating that.... But they're not really saying what their anticipated lift capacity is, are they? Can you find that?
                The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Roy View Post
                  But the Hercules never went into service - it only existed as a prototype, and only flew during testing.* The stratolaunch is bigger than anything that has actually been used.
                  No argument, but the Hercules has logged more flight hours (seconds) than the StratoLauncher!
                  The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                    Yeah, I was still contemplating that.... But they're not really saying what their anticipated lift capacity is, are they? Can you find that?
                    "the aircraft is intended to carry up to 550,000 pounds to an altitude of 35,000 feet. "

                    Not sure if that is gross payload (in which case the cargo would be 50klb) or net.
                    Jorge: Functional Complex Information is INFORMATION that is complex and functional.

                    MM: First of all, the Bible is a fixed document.
                    MM on covid-19: We're talking about an illness with a better than 99.9% rate of survival.

                    seer: I believe that so called 'compassion' [for starving Palestinian kids] maybe a cover for anti Semitism, ...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Roy View Post
                      "the aircraft is intended to carry up to 550,000 pounds to an altitude of 35,000 feet. "

                      Not sure if that is gross payload (in which case the cargo would be 50klb) or net.
                      Yeah, that's what I couldn't figure.
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                        Yeah, that's what I couldn't figure.
                        Mark down another case of sloppy journalism.
                        Jorge: Functional Complex Information is INFORMATION that is complex and functional.

                        MM: First of all, the Bible is a fixed document.
                        MM on covid-19: We're talking about an illness with a better than 99.9% rate of survival.

                        seer: I believe that so called 'compassion' [for starving Palestinian kids] maybe a cover for anti Semitism, ...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                          From that same article...

                          But the Stratolaunch concept has its drawbacks, including a smaller payload capacity than other options.

                          A spacecraft typically weighs just 1-2 percent as much as the rocket that launches it, Hudson says. Since Stratolaunch is designed to carry up to 550,000 pounds, its payload capacity is likely to be 5,000 to 10,000 pounds. That’s enough to ferry astronauts to a space station or launch small satellites. But it’s nowhere near the payload capacity of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

                          SpaceX’s booster can carry 50,265 pounds to low-Earth orbit and up to 18,300 pounds to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), an intermediate orbit where large communication satellites are launched to before they power themselves to geostationary orbit, where they essentially hover above the same part of the planet continuously.
                          But how much fuel does each method take? If the Plane uses significantly less fuel per pound of payload compared to a straight rocket like SpaceX then it is still a good idea.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Roy View Post
                            "the aircraft is intended to carry up to 550,000 pounds to an altitude of 35,000 feet. "

                            Not sure if that is gross payload (in which case the cargo would be 50klb) or net.
                            That would have to include the launch rocket and the payload.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Roy View Post
                              Mark down another case of sloppy journalism.
                              OK, according to StratoLaunch's own website, here are the stats...

                              stratolaunch stats.jpg

                              And from that website you can go to Paul Allen's LinkedIn page, where he says...

                              Stratolaunch will be the first air-launch platform of this scale and will rank among the largest aircraft in history – its wingspan alone will stretch the length of a football field. Built primarily of strong yet light carbon fiber and powered by six 747 engines, Stratolaunch will be able to carry up to 550,000 pounds of payload and offer its customers a consistent, flexible and viable alternative to traditional ground-launched rockets.


                              So, max takeoff weight of 1.3 million pounds, payload of half a million pounds.
                              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                              Comment

                              Related Threads

                              Collapse

                              Topics Statistics Last Post
                              Started by Hypatia_Alexandria, 03-18-2024, 12:15 PM
                              48 responses
                              135 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Sparko
                              by Sparko
                               
                              Started by Sparko, 03-07-2024, 08:52 AM
                              16 responses
                              74 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post shunyadragon  
                              Started by rogue06, 02-28-2024, 11:06 AM
                              6 responses
                              47 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post shunyadragon  
                              Working...
                              X