The world’s largest all-composite aircraft Stratolaunch, which has the capability to several launch vehicles carrying satellites in space in a single mission, on Sunday successfully completed its maiden test-flight over the in the United States.
With two fuselages, six engines and a wingspan greater than the length of an American football field, the mammoth aircraft took off on its maiden flight from the Mojave Air & Space Port in and achieved a maximum speed of 189 miles per hour (304km/hour). The plane flew for 2.5 hours over the Mojave desert at altitudes up to 17,000 feet during which pilots evaluated aircraft performance and handling qualities before landing it successfully back at the Mojave space port.
The Stratolaunch aircraft is a mobile launch platform that will enable airline-style access to space that is convenient, affordable and routine. The reinforced centre wing can support multiple launch vehicles, weighing up to a total of 500,000 pounds (2,26,796 kg). The aircraft is designed to fly satellite-carrying rockets to an altitude of about 35,000 feet (10,700 m), then release boosters so that they can launch their payloads up to orbit. If the Stratolaunch plan takes off commercially, then the need for launchpads for vertical takeoffs of space vehicles would not be required in future. Only a runway would do the needful.
“What a fantastic first flight,” said Jean Floyd, CEO of Stratolaunch. “Today’s flight furthers our mission to provide a flexible alternative to ground launched systems. We are incredibly proud of the Stratolaunch team, today’s flight crew, our partners at Northrup Grumman’s Scaled Composites and the Mojave Air and Space Port.”
Founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen, Stratolaunch Systems Corporation believes in safeguarding Earth for future generations. The American business magnate, who co-founded Microsoft along with Bill Gates in 1975, died of cancer in October last year at the age of 65.
After the successful flight-test, Jody Allen, sister and chair of Vulcan Inc and trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust, said, “We all know Paul would have been proud to witness today’s historic achievement. The aircraft is a remarkable engineering achievement and we congratulate everyone involved.”
Stratolaunch had initially teamed up with Elon Musk-promoted SpaceX, which was going to build a modified version of the rocket to launch from the giant carrier plane. But the two companies split within a year. In 2016, Stratolaunch announced plans to use smaller rockets (Orbital ATK’s Pegasus XL vehicles). At one point, Stratolaunch was also developing its own series of rockets and spacecraft, including a small space shuttle, to launch from the massive carrier plane. But earlier this year, the company shut down that programme to focus on launching smaller Pegasus XL rockets.