The world's largest plane will take off later this year
Stratolaunch, the world's largest aircraft with a wingspan of 117 meters, will make its first flight later this year.
| Clip: Stratolaunch test run on the runway. |
“We are excited to share for the first time some details about the development of Stratolaunch’s proprietary launch vehicles, which provide more launch flexibility than any other vehicle. Regardless of payload or trajectory, launching satellites into space will soon be as easy as booking a plane ticket,” said Jean Floyd, Stratolaunch CEO.
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The Stratolaunch and four launch vehicles will be carried between the two fuselages. |
The four launch vehicles that Stratolaunch is developing include Pegasus, the Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV), the Medium Heavy Launch Vehicle, and the Space Plane. The Pegasus rocket, built by aerospace company Northrop Grummann, has flown dozens of missions. Pegasus can carry a payload of 370 kg and will fly with Stratolaunch for the first time in 2020, schedule permitting.
The Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) is a new rocket with a payload capacity of 3,400 kg. The first flight of the MLV is scheduled for 2022, according to a Stratolaunch representative. Meanwhile, a more powerful version of the MLV is in the early stages of development. The Medium Heavy Launch Vehicle will be equipped with three booster cores and will be able to carry up to 6,000 kg.
The space plane is a fully reusable vehicle that can carry supplies into space and bring them back to Earth. It will be an autonomous aircraft similar to the US Air Force's X-37B. Capable of carrying medium-sized cargo, the plane is in the research and design phase.
Stratolaunch was the brainchild of Paul Allen, co-founder of the company. Allen wanted to turn the plane into a giant air cushion in the sky, allowing cargo to be delivered to space faster and at a lower cost than current technology. The plane is so large that if it were placed in the middle of a football field, its wings would still extend 12 feet beyond the goalposts.
With a wingspan of 117 meters, the six-engine aircraft is larger than the Antonov An-225, the Soviet Union's cargo plane that currently holds the record for the world's largest aircraft. The Stratolaunch is designed to carry a launch vehicle between its two fuselages. Once the aircraft reaches a certain altitude, it will release the vehicle to ignite its thrusters and fly into space from mid-air.
The Stratolaunch weighs 226,796 kg (500,000 lb) empty. It can carry a maximum of 589,670 kg (1,200,000 lb) at takeoff. It moves on 28 wheels. When it flies, it is powered by six Boeing 747 engines.
