Posted on 12/19/2017 2:30:14 PM PST by BenLurkin
The double-bodied jet —which has the largest wingspan of any aircraft in the world —has been undergoing tests at Stratolaunch's facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The latest phase in this process was testing the aircraft's steering and stopping capabilities.
...
The monster jet was only rolled out from its scaffolding in May. This weekend's latest milestone comes three months after the company successfully tested the six engines on the colossal airplane for the first time. Stratolaunch officials have said they hope to have the aircraft in flight by the end of the decade, and the Mojave Air and Space Port will eventually be the company's center of operations.
The aircraft weighs 500,000 lbs. (227,000 kilograms), and it can carry another 550,000 lbs. (almost 250,000 kg) with up to three rockets under the conjoined wing at the center of the vehicle. Its wingspan is longer than a football field, measuring 386 feet (118 meters) across.
The aircraft was built by Scaled Composites, the Mojave-based aerospace company founded by spaceship builder Burt Rutan. Scaled Composites is also behind the design for White Knight Two, the mothership built to launch Virgin Galactic’s tourist-carrying space plane.
Non “taxpayer funded”?
If so, KICK A$$!!!!!
Imagine a 550,000 lb MOAB slung on that thing.
The Russians actually have a huge Antonov that has greater load capacity, but it looks more like a regular cargo jet.
(all four of us here, saying in unison)
It's an entirely different kind of flying
One would hope for steerable main landing gear.
Over Macho Grandé?
Egad that is huge. I wonder how much fuel it uses on a launch mission.
I think were gettin Hornswaggled.
“How do you say disintegrating flat spin in New Age?”
Hillary?
Burt Rutan, the 'grandfather' of the Stratolaunch giant, has had a bit of success with aircraft that look really strange and yet are marvelous aerodynamic creations,
I'll never get over Macho Grande.
Not so much: the F-104 was called the "Widowmaker" for a reason, but dang it's a beautiful thing!
Or Wallace from "Wallace and Gromit"
“You are cleared to land on runways 24 and 26 Right”.
The Germans in WWII also tried that concept.
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