1. Longer Than A Football Field
What is the world’s largest plane? I’ll give you a hint. Not the Boeing 747, 777, or Airbus A380. The Stratolaunch project has been in the works for more than six years. It promises to expand the possibilities for space transportation.
This thing is huge! A football field is 100 yards long—or 300 feet. The Stratolaunch is 385 feet across. In other words, it’s bigger than a football field. That means it would take more than 3 Tom Brady touchdown bombs to equal the size of the plane.
2. Microsoft Influence
This jumbo plane is a creation of Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, and Scaled Composites founder, Burt Rutan, who created Stratolaunch Systems on December 13, 2011.
The goal was to develop an all-new air-launch-to-orbit system aimed at transforming space travel by providing easier access to Low Earth Orbit.
3. Stratolaunch Concept
With two fuselages (the main body of a plane) and three rockets attached, the Stratolaunch is certainly a uniquely designed specimen.
Its wingspan of 385 feet makes it longer than any aircraft to date with the potential to carry more passengers than ever.
4. Only One Side is Manned
Although it has two cockpit sections, only the starboard side of the Stratolaunch is manned. The other just looks pretty.
It just wouldn't be necessary to have four pilots operating one aircraft when processes and procedures between two pilots have been well-established for so long.
5. Unpressurized Side
The port side cockpit looks mighty inviting, except for the fact that it’s designed to remain empty.
With an unpressurized cockpit, the door always stays sealed because it wouldn't survivable while in-flight that close to space.
6. 2019 is the Year to Recognize
Mark your calendar for sometime in 2019. It was announced on May 31st, 2017 that the Stratolaunch will perform its first official rocket launch in that year.
Of course, all must go well in the planning phase, but so far so good.
7. Launches Up To 3 Rockets Per Flight?
For the 2019 launch, the Stratolaunch will carry one Pegasus XL rocket. "The Pegasus is an air-launched rocket developed by Orbital ATK, formerly Orbital Sciences Corporation.
Capable of carrying small payloads of up to 443 kilograms into low Earth orbit, Pegasus first flew in 1990 and remains active as of 2017."
8. Yes, it Launches Rockets
The Stratolaunch will first carry a rocket for about 35,000 feet before disengaging and flying under its own power.
The rocket will separate from the aircraft as the Stratolaunch continues to climb through space.
9. So Many Wheels
The plane’s max takeoff weight is approximately 1.3 million pounds, so yes, it needs 28 wheels to get it off the ground.
10. Cockpit View
Looks pretty standard, and that’s because it is. This is actually the cockpit of a Boeing 747-400, which is what the Stratolaunch cockpit will look like.
It will include a three person crew with a pair of pilots and a flight engineer.
11. Boeing 747-400 Parts
The Stratolaunch has largely utilized components of the Boeing 747, including the avionics, landing gear, and flight decks.
12. How Many Missions Per Year?
After the testing phase, the Stratolaunch will take part in up to ten missions per year.
13. Paul Allen's Vision
The Microsoft CEO saw Stratolaunch as an entry into the frontier of space travel, despite putting forth a lofty investment.
Allen said, “you have a certain number of dreams in your life that you want to fulfill, and this is a dream that I’m very excited about seeing come to fruition.”
14. Hangar in 2015
Considering the project’s construction began in 2015, it’s remarkable how quickly the Stratolaunch is being built.
15. Checking In
Allen is very hands-on, making sure that his project is progressing properly leading up to the 2019 event.
16. 6 Powerful Engines
With six 250 kN Pratt & Whitney engines at its disposal, the aircraft is built with the Boeing 747 in mind.
17. From the Back
From behind, the Stratolaunch looks like a glider.
But from the front, it’s a whole different appearance.
18. Under the Plane
Currently housed inside of a hangar in the Mojave Desert, this is a look from underneath the Stratolaunch aircraft.
19. More Runway Than a Boeing 747
The Stratolaunch aircraft requires even a longer runway for takeoff than a Boeing 747.
It needs 12,000 feet, which equates to about 2 miles in length in order to lift off.
20. SpaceShipOne
SpaceShipOne can reach heights of more than 377 feet. On October 4, 2004, it climbed to a record height of 377,591 feet.
This earned it the coveted Ansari X Prize, given to the first private team to reach outer space.
21. SpaceShipOne Was Allen's First Spaceship
The Microsoft man owns NFL and NBA teams, but it turns out this isn’t his first foray into space. About a decade ago, he and Mr.
Rutan teamed up to build the aforementioned SpaceShipOne. It’s now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
22. Stratolaunch Team
Yearbook Photo? This is Allen and the rest of the Stratolaunch Systems team posing next to one of the plane’s tails.
By September 2017, the Stratolaunch pipedream would finally become a reality…
23. Test Time
In May 2017, the Stratolaunch had finally departed from its hangar and was preparing for tests. By September, the first of those tests were completed.
The massive six engine vessel gave each one of those engines a proper workout.