t/Space Demonstrates New Air-Launch Technology

Business Wire ^ | 06/14/05

[KevinDavis]

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 2005--Three weeks of flight tests over the Mojave desert have demonstrated a breakthrough in how to safely launch future passenger-carrying rockets using a carrier aircraft.

Transformational Space Corp. (t/Space) and Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites drop-tested dummy boosters from an aircraft using a technique that caused them to rotate towards vertical without requiring wings. This allows an aft-crossing trajectory in which the rocket crosses behind the aircraft, greatly enhancing safety. Previous air-launched rockets such as the X-15, Pegasus and SpaceShipOne crossed in front of the carrier aircraft using wings to turn themselves from horizontal flight to the vertical position needed to achieve orbit. In addition to greatly enhancing safety, eliminating the weight of wings increase the payload the rocket can take to orbit.

The innovation developed by t/Space is a special mechanism that holds on to the nose of the booster for about a half-second after the center of the rocket is released. This slight tug on the nose starts the booster rotating as it drops. A small parachute on the rocket's nozzle ensures the rotation happens slowly.

The dummy booster dropped today was the third and final in the t/Space program, with previous drops on May 24 and June 7. All test articles dropped were inert - two steel tanks welded together with a Fiberglas nose and nozzle. They were 23% of the size of the actual rockets to be developed for sending a four-person capsule into orbit. Since they had no engines, each eventually crashed onto the dry Cuddeback Lake, about 35 miles northeast of Mojave, CA. The wreckage was collected and removed

[KevinDavis]

Excellent...

[KevinDavis]

[RightWhale]

a four-person capsule into orbit

Somehow it seems like getting into orbit is the easy part, not that it is all that easy. Getting back, though, seems to be a challenge unless they use something shaped like a rock without wings.

[RightWhale]

Or perhaps a slightly rounded brick. A skipping stone shape would be dangerous if one of the control ropes breaks or gets twisted.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I am unable to visual a parachute on the nozzle, assuming the nozzle would be on the bottom end and I can't think of anywhere else it would be.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

a special mechanism that holds on to the nose of the booster for about a half-second after the center of the rocket is released. This slight tug on the nose starts the booster rotating as it drops. A small parachute on the rocket's nozzle ensures the rotation happens slowly.

I suppose it is deployed while the rocket is horizontal and somewhat controls the bottom, or nozzle end, as it drops and starts it to rotate. Heck, I don't know. I ain't no rocket scientist.

[Brett66]

[chariotdriver]

About 15 years ago one the WINGS series at the discovery channel, they showed footage of the Air Force experimenting wihh this method for air launch of ICBM's.
A C-141 was used and a drogue chute dragged the whole assembly out of the airplane, then the support railing for the missile fell away, finally the rocket launched in mid-air.
I can't see it being used for civil transport application, JMO

[Moose4]

Looks like they borrowed the White Knight (Spaceship One's carrier plane) to do the testing. Or is that a different plane? It definitely looks like a Rutan design.

}:-)4

[KevinDavis]

Burt Rutan is part of tSpace..

[Brett66]

Yep, Burt's finding many uses for the White Knight, he's also going to build an Uber-White Knight to launch much larger payloads:

[Dr.Zoidberg]

This is the White Knight.

The aircraft below is the Proteus.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Just for clarification, the Proteus is the one doing the drop in post 8.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Thanks Brett. At first blush I could only see it trying to deploy back into the nozzle.

[RightWhale]

Maybe he can talk Boeing out of a 787.

[chariotdriver]

I am for civilians in space, and space exploration to the moon and beyond. But I disagree with this article.

1. Its not a breakthrough.
2. Its not innovation
3. Its not safe launch for future passenger-carrying rockets

[Dominick]

It is great for a payload though.

[hopespringseternal]

3. Its not safe launch for future passenger-carrying rockets

Why not? Unless you think the only answer to passengers is single stage to orbit, this is just another form of staging. And it may even be safer than traditional staging.

[chariotdriver]

SSTT is not the issue I was attacking.

If a failure occurred, don't you see a problem with a lunch vehicle in an uncontrolled free-fall? Then explain how this method would be safer than traditional staging.