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Microsoft Co-Founder To Build Giant Plane To Launch People, Cargo Into Space
CBS Seattle ^ | 13 Dec 2011

Posted on 12/13/2011 3:46:04 PM PST by mandaladon

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan are building the world’s biggest plane to help launch cargo and astronauts into space, in the latest of several ventures fueled by technology tycoons clamoring to write America’s next chapter in spaceflight.

Their plans, unveiled Tuesday, call for a twin-fuselage aircraft with wings longer than a football field to carry a rocket high into the atmosphere and drop it, avoiding the need for a launch pad and the expense of additional rocket fuel.

Allen, who teamed up with Rutan in 2004 to send the first privately financed, manned spacecraft into space, said his new project would “keep America at the forefront of space exploration” and give a new generation of children something to dream about.

“We have plenty and many challenges ahead of us,” he said at a news conference.

Allen and Rutan join a field crowded with Silicon Valley veterans who grew up on “Star Trek” and now want to fill a void created with the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle. Several companies are competing to develop spacecraft to deliver cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station.

Allen bemoaned the fact that government-sponsored spaceflight is waning.

“When I was growing up, America’s space program was the symbol of aspiration,” he said. “For me, the fascination with space never ended. I never stopped dreaming what might be possible.”

Allen and Rutan last collaborated on the experimental SpaceShipOne, which was launched in the air from a special aircraft. It became the first privately financed, manned spacecraft to dash into space in 2004 and later won the $10 million Ansari X Prize for accomplishing the feat twice in two weeks.

(Excerpt) Read more at seattle.cbslocal.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Technical
KEYWORDS: kaboom; marchingmorons; microsoft; nasa; paulallen; seeya; space; stratolaunch; venusvacation
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To: mandaladon

“This method saves money by not using rocket fuel to get off the ground.”

I see. It will use ‘jet fuel’ to loft the giant plane and it’s giant cargo (the capsule riding along for the ride).

Given the combined weight and given that the capsule-vehicle must still carry its own fuel to “blast” above the altitude to which it is delivered by the plane, and the plane must also carry enough fuel to return to land; is the “fuel savings” the greatest “savings”?

I would think the biggest savings would be in the reusability of the launch plane, because even though a “rocket launch pad” may not be needed, I would expect new and separate take-off and landing facilities for the behemoth plane would be needed; putting into question any “savings” from not needing a “rocket launch pad”.


21 posted on 12/13/2011 4:34:52 PM PST by Wuli
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To: Vince Ferrer
Nice, but I think SpaceX, started by the owner of PayPal, has a good viable business plan for cheap access to space. They even have a completely reusable design they will attempt to build that will reuse more components than this design will.

Actually, Space X is a partner, they will be providing the rocket stages of this launch system.

22 posted on 12/13/2011 4:35:47 PM PST by Paradox (The rich SHOULD be paying more taxes, and they WOULD, if they could make more money.)
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To: mandaladon

I’d rather he build a space elevator


23 posted on 12/13/2011 4:39:28 PM PST by bigbob
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To: Paradox
Yes, I just noticed that after I posted. What I was thinking about is this completely reusable launch system:

SpaceX Reusable Launch System

But maybe Rutan's plane is an intermediate step, if the rocket section can also be reused.

24 posted on 12/13/2011 4:41:21 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: org.whodat

25 posted on 12/13/2011 4:42:15 PM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Mater tua caligas gerit)
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To: JoeProBono

Paul Allen has a $$$hitload of money to burn through, this could work!


26 posted on 12/13/2011 4:47:46 PM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: Paradox

And I meant to add, it is great to see a new space race developing.


27 posted on 12/13/2011 4:48:02 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: Wuli

The savings will be that it has an airbreathing engine instead of a rocket for the first stage. So, it won’t have to have an oxidizer (typically liquid oxygen) as part of its liftoff weight, since it will extract the oxygen from the atmosphere. This is a big weight savings.


28 posted on 12/13/2011 4:49:28 PM PST by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
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To: Wuli

Also, it will have more lift than a typical rocket. A rocket basically punches through the air, whereas a plane is more efficient directing the air around it.


29 posted on 12/13/2011 4:52:46 PM PST by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
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To: kosciusko51

In other words,fuel for the plane but not the rocket right? The rocket would be able to carry more payload vs. fuel?


30 posted on 12/13/2011 4:53:25 PM PST by Maringa
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To: An American!

Not only could those good old boys fight wars, but they could build stuff also.


31 posted on 12/13/2011 4:53:35 PM PST by org.whodat (Just another heartless American, hated by "AMNESTY" Newt, Willard, Perry and his fellow supporters)
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To: kosciusko51; Wuli

Also you are converting low speed horizontal thrust into vertical lift with the use of wings. That’s quite a savings compared to he need for overcoming gravity by pure vertical lift. Your time to orbit is substantially increased, but so what? It isn’t a race.


32 posted on 12/13/2011 4:59:09 PM PST by Kirkwood (Zombie Hunter)
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To: Vince Ferrer
I've seen that video, very cool. Blue Origin seeks to do something similar.

I do have a problem grasping the idea that retro-rocket re-entry is somehow cheaper/easier than using a parachute. I guess the extra cost and complexity of a parachute subsystem is more than the extra fuel costs involved with powered return. Still way cool.

33 posted on 12/13/2011 4:59:15 PM PST by Paradox (The rich SHOULD be paying more taxes, and they WOULD, if they could make more money.)
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To: Maringa

Not exactly. A rocket requires fuel and an oxidizer. A jet engine only requires fuel, and gets its oxygen from the atmosphere. The Rutan design is a two-stage vehicle. The first uses the jet engine, so no need for oxidizer (and ancillary container), which significantly reduces the weight of the first stage. The second stage is a traditional rocket, still requiring fuel/oxidizer.


34 posted on 12/13/2011 5:00:36 PM PST by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
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To: Kirkwood

You explained it much better than I did in Post #29.


35 posted on 12/13/2011 5:02:26 PM PST by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
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To: mandaladon
Allen and Rutan join a field crowded with Silicon Valley veterans who grew up on “Star Trek” and now want to fill a void created with the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle. Several companies are competing to develop spacecraft to deliver cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station.

I've said this before and I'll say it again.

There's nothing that can be done by people in space that can't be done cheaper and faster by people right here on Earth.

All of the technology we've gained has come from going into space. Nothing has come from people actually being in space.

36 posted on 12/13/2011 5:03:01 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (People should not be afraid of the government. Governement should be afraid of the people)
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To: Ol' Dan Tucker
Nothing has come from people actually being in space.

Our foray into space so far is more like the Vikings travels to North America than Columbus' voyages to the Caribbeans. Until we have spent more time in space, your assertion will hold true.

37 posted on 12/13/2011 5:06:42 PM PST by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
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To: mandaladon

Will it be running Win95 or Vista?


38 posted on 12/13/2011 5:06:45 PM PST by Sarajevo (Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?)
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I wish them all the best but for Allen this could prove the old adage:

It’s easy to make a small fortune. You just start with a large one and...


39 posted on 12/13/2011 5:10:03 PM PST by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: colorado tanker

Yeah, but why would I want to go into space. It’s not as though there’s really anything to go to at this point.


40 posted on 12/13/2011 5:12:30 PM PST by Jonty30 (If a person won't learn under the best of times, then he must learn under the worst of times.)
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