Google’s Sergey Brin isn’t the only billionaire taking up a lot of hangar space with an ambitious and massive aircraft construction project. For years, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has desired to make access to space more convenient and affordable, and from that the idea for Stratolaunch was born. On Wednesday, the world got its first look at the massive, 250-ton aircraft designed by Burt Rutan after it was rolled out of its hangar in Mojave, California, to begin fuel testing.
Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch Emerges from Hangar for Fueling Tests
Key Takeaways:
- Paul Allen's Stratolaunch aircraft, nicknamed "The Roc," has been unveiled for fuel testing, aiming to provide more convenient and affordable access to space by air-launching rockets.
- The massive aircraft is the world's largest, boasting a 385-foot wingspan and designed to carry rockets between its twin fuselages for satellite deployment at 35,000 feet.
- Powered by six repurposed Boeing 747 engines, The Roc will undergo extensive ground and flightline testing in the coming months, with its first launch demonstration projected for 2019.
- Allen advocates for this "airport-style operations" approach to rocket launches, believing it offers a more cost-effective and flexible alternative to traditional ground-based rocket launches.
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