Merged The New Largest Plane in the world

[applecorped]

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/31/us/worlds-largest-airplane-rolled-out-paul-allen/index.html

Stratolaunch -- which is designed to release rockets that will carry satellites into space -- has a 385-foot wingspan, features six engines used by the Boeing 747, stands 50 feet tall and can carry more than 500,000 pounds of payload.

And it has those 28 wheels.

 

[applecorped]

 

[GodMark2]

Paul Allen tries to out Elon Musk Elon Musk

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2017/06/paul_allen_unveils_worlds_bigg.html

...builds world's largest airplane* to use as recoverable first stage for satellite launch system.



*arguably

 

[Hans]

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2017/06/paul_allen_unveils_worlds_bigg.html

...builds world's largest airplane* to use as recoverable first stage for satellite launch system.



*arguably

Thanks for that very kewl

 

[Reactor drone]

Reminds me of the twin B-52 space shuttle transporter concept.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Virtus_dropping_orbiter.png

 

[Mike!]

Seems like there should be more structure between the two fuselages than just that one wing. It looks like it's just begging to break in half in flight.

 

[Myriad]

Seems like there should be more structure between the two fuselages than just that one wing. It looks like it's just begging to break in half in flight.

That's by design. When it splits apart into two separate planes, James Bond won't know which one to chase.

 

[Octavo]

Seems like there should be more structure between the two fuselages than just that one wing. It looks like it's just begging to break in half in flight.

I thought the same thing too, but really it's only because the picture doesn't convey the scale well. That wing is as wide as a highway and made of carbon composites. It's plenty strong enough to hold the two cockpits together and support the weight of a rocket slung underneath.

This is a very cool concept, but it should have been done 10 years ago. By the time it flies, I suspect SpaceX* will have changed the launch market to the point that it will struggle to be commercially successful.

* Yes, I'm a serious SpX fanboi, so pinch of salt required.

 

[rjh01]

Would need a very wide runway to land and take off.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

It might be the largest by wingspan, but many (like the Airbus 380) is heavier and longer.

 

[Roboramma]

It might be the largest by wingspan, but many (like the Airbus 380) is heavier and longer.

I'm guessing that won't remain true when it is carrying it's payload.

 

[Octavo]

Would need a very wide runway to land and take off.

An long one too - 3.7km according to the article. Commercial airport runways of that length exist, but AFAIK they're mostly around 3 - 3.5km in length.

I suspect the number of places it could safely fly from would be limited by this. That and of course, I'm not sure how many airlines would be happy to be taking off in front of or behind a craft carrying a fully fueled rocket...

DELTA 215, you are next in line for runway 22L, caution: WAKE TURBULENCE AHEAD.

 

[3point14]

I think I read somewhere that there was a plan to re-purpose the Antonov An-225 (The plane that carried Buran) to perform a similar role.

It's a big White Knight II in design really - I suspect there aren't a lot of other design options.

 

[3point14]

An long one too - 3.7km according to the article. Commercial airport runways of that length exist, but AFAIK they're mostly around 3 - 3.5km in length.

I suspect the number of places it could safely fly from would be limited by this.

Anywhere that was previously a shuttle abort landing site should do it. There's are a few on the west of Africa and Europe as well as the actual landing sites in the US.

 

[3point14]

IIRC, about 10Km/s is needed to reach LEO. Do we know How much does this save on that budget?

 

[Jack by the hedge]

Seems like there should be more structure between the two fuselages than just that one wing. It looks like it's just begging to break in half in flight.

That's how it looks to me too.

I'm sure the connecting wing is astonishingly strong and rigid, but everything about it screams at me that the moment of inertia of those two long fuselages could snap it like a twig if an oscillation started to build up between the two.

Presumably in this day and age a fly by wire system's computer will constantly intervene to damp down any such flexion but without that I can't imagine such a thing being intrinsically safe without a rigid connection between the tailplanes.

 

[Jack by the hedge]

IIRC, about 10Km/s is needed to reach LEO. Do we know How much does this save on that budget?

That's an interesting question. It'll save almost nothing on the required delta v, but it should get a lot of that tiresome atmosphere out of the way.

 

[3point14]

That's an interesting question. It'll save almost nothing on the required delta v, but it should get a lot of that tiresome atmosphere out of the way.

That's what I mean. Launching that high is saving delta V budget by minimising gravity and atmospheric losses both of which increase the required budget.

 

[Mike!]

I thought the same thing too, but really it's only because the picture doesn't convey the scale well. That wing is as wide as a highway and made of carbon composites. It's plenty strong enough to hold the two cockpits together and support the weight of a rocket slung underneath.

This is a very cool concept, but it should have been done 10 years ago. By the time it flies, I suspect SpaceX* will have changed the launch market to the point that it will struggle to be commercially successful.

* Yes, I'm a serious SpX fanboi, so pinch of salt required.

That's all well and good, but I'd still feel better about it if the tail section was interconnected too. But what do I know?

 

[3point14]

That's all well and good, but I'd still feel better about it if the tail section was interconnected too. But what do I know?

He's clearly used the autostrut feature.