The world’s largest aircraft built by the company (Stratolaunch) recently made its fifth test flight over the Mojave Desert, thus getting a little closer to its goal of transporting and releasing ultrasonic vehicles.

The giant aircraft, named after the mythical Middle Eastern bird “Roc”, flew for 4 hours and 58 minutes in its most recent test and was able to reach an altitude of 6858 meters. The pilots also tested a new mid-wing pylon on the flight.

“Roc” weighs 250 tons and its wingspan reaches 117 meters. This huge bird is equipped with 6 747 jet engines to fly and needs a runway with a distance of 3657 meters to take off.

The Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch or Roc is an aircraft built for Stratolaunch Systems by Scaled Composites to carry air-launch-to-orbit rockets. It was announced in December 2011 and rolled out in May 2017. The aircraft features a twin-fuselage design and the longest wingspan ever flown, at 385 feet (117 m), surpassing the Hughes H-4 Hercules flying boat of 321 feet (98 m). The Stratolaunch is intended to carry a 550,000-pound (250 t) payload and has a 1,300,000-pound (590 t) maximum takeoff weight. It should release its rocket at 35,000 ft (11,000 m).

The aircraft flew for the first time on April 13, 2019, and shortly thereafter, the company announced it would halt development of its air-launched family of launch vehicles following the death of Stratolaunch founder Paul Allen in October 2018. The company ceased operations the next month and placed all company assets, including the aircraft, for sale for US$400 million by June 2019. Cerberus Capital Management acquired Stratolaunch Systems, including the Stratolaunch aircraft, in October 2019. Stratolaunch announced in December 2019 that it would now be focusing on offering high-speed flight test services

History:

Early development

In early 2011, Dynetics began studying the project and had approximately 40 employees working on it at the December 2011 public announcement. Stratolaunch originally planned to airlaunch the Falcon 9 Air by SpaceX, whose efforts began shortly before December. Launching medium-sized payloads with the Falcon 9 dictated the aircraft size but SpaceX departed a year later.

In May 2012, its specially constructed hangar was being built at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California. In October 2012, the first of two manufacturing buildings, a 88,000 sq ft (8,200 m2) facility for construction of the composite sections of the wing and fuselage, was opened for production.

In August 2013, the Pegasus II was selected for the air-launch vehicle. In August 2014, all solid-fuel propulsion was selected, rather than liquid-fuel for the Orbital Sciences launcher. In August 2015, 200,000 lb (91 t) of structure was assembled.

By June 2016, Scaled Composites had 300 people working on the project. Virgin Galactic also plans to launch small satellites with the LauncherOne from a 747. Orbital ATK dropped its Thunderbolt rocket project for medium-class payloads. In October 2016, the Pegasus II was replaced by multiple Pegasus XL mounted underneath the carrier aircraft, developments of the original Pegasus rocket which had been launched 42 times since 1990.

The aircraft first flew on April 13, 2019, at the Mojave Air and Space Port, reaching 17,000 feet (5,200 m) and speed of 165 knots (306 km/h) in a 2 hours 29 minutes flight.

The hydraulic system and actuators, electrical system, avionics, pilot controls, and flight deck are from donor B747-400s. Approximately 250,000 lb of the aircraft’s takeoff weight of 1,300,000 lb is from B747-400 components.

It will require 12,000 ft (3,700 m) of runway to lift-off. It should release its rocket at 35,000 ft (11,000 m). It will carry a 550,000 lb (250 t) payload. With a Pegasus II, it could deliver up to 13,500 lb (6.1 t) satellites to LEO or 4,500 lb (2.0 t) to a 15° GTO. It could launch a Dream Chaser small spaceplane capable of transporting astronauts or payloads within 24 hours.
The stated goal is to carry up to three Orbital ATK “Pegasus XL” rockets for high-altitude launches by 2022.

Within Scaled Composites, its model number is M351. It is nicknamed “Roc” after , the mythical bird so big it could carry an elephant.

Aircraft information

Length 238ft (73m)
Wingspan 385 ft (117 m)
Altitude (empennage) 50 ft (15 m)
max. take-off mass 1,300,000 lb (approx. 590,000 kg)
Payload 550,000 lb (approx. 249,000 kg)
Powered by six Pratt & Whitney PW4056 jet engines
Service ceiling 35,000 ft (approx. 11,000 m)
Range approx. 15,000 km

Design

Stratolaunch has a twin-fuselage configuration, each 238 ft (73 m) long and supported by 12 main landing gear wheels and two nose gear wheels, for a total of 28 wheels. The twin-fuselage configuration is similar to the Scaled Composites White Knight Two. Each fuselage has its own empennage.
The pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer are accommodated in the right fuselage cockpit.The flight data systems are in the left fuselage. The left fuselage cockpit is unmanned with storage space for up to 2,500lb of mission specific support equipment. Both fuselage cockpits are pressurized and separated by a composite pressure bulkhead from the remainder of the unpressurized vehicle.

At 385 ft (117 m), it is the largest plane by wingspan, greater than a 300 ft (91 m) American football field. The main center section is made up of four primary composite spars supported by four secondary spars.The center section of the high-mounted, high aspect ratio wing is fitted with a Mating and Integration System (MIS), developed by Dynetics and capable of handling a 490,000 lb (220 t) load.The wing houses six main and two auxiliary fuel tanks, with the main tanks located inboard adjacent to an engine. The auxiliary tanks are located in the inboard wing where the load-carrying structure joins the fuselage.

Stratolaunch is powered by six Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines positioned on pylons outboard of each fuselage, providing 56,750 lbf (252.4 kN) of thrust per engine. Many of the aircraft systems have been adopted from the Boeing 747-400, including the engines, avionics, flight deck, landing gear and other systems, reducing development costs.

The flight controls include 12 cable-driven ailerons powered by hydraulic actuators, split rudders, and horizontal stabilizers on twin tail units. The wing has 14 electrically signaled, hydraulically actuated trailing-edge split flaps that also act as speed brakes. The hydraulic system and actuators, electrical system, avionics, pilot controls, and flight deck are from donor B747-400s. Approximately 250,000 lb of the aircraft’s takeoff weight of 1,300,000 lb is from B747-400 components.

It will require 12,000 ft (3,700 m) of runway to lift-off. It should release its rocket at 35,000 ft (11,000 m). It will carry a 550,000 lb (250 t) payload.With a Pegasus II, it could deliver up to 13,500 lb (6.1 t) satellites to LEO or 4,500 lb (2.0 t) to a 15° GTO. It could launch a Dream Chaser small spaceplane capable of transporting astronauts or payloads within 24 hours. The stated goal is to carry up to three Orbital ATK “Pegasus XL” rockets for high-altitude launches by 2022.

Within Scaled Composites, its model number is M351. It is nicknamed “Roc” after Sinbad’s Roc, the mythical bird so big it could carry an elephant.

Source : de.wikipedia.org

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