Company Stratolaunch Systems began its work six years ago. Created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the company has embarked on the development of the huge aircraft, designed for space launch. Today Allen has published in Twitter a photo of the aircraft, which first rolled out of the hangar for testing the fuel system.
.@Stratolaunch came out of the hangar for fuel testing. More pictures soon! pic.twitter.com/RCNgSpgG6W
— Paul Allen (@PaulGAllen) 31 may 2017
The wingspan of the aircraft Stratolaunch Systems is 117 meters, 30 meters more than the plane “Mriya” — now it is the biggest in the world. Length of an American aircraft is 92 meters long and weighs 250 tons, but the maximum load it will weigh nearly 600 tons. The aircraft is equipped with a 28-wheeled chassis is designed to withstand such loads, so it can simultaneously carry up to three missiles ATK Orbital Pegasus XL and display, and orbit from a height of about nine thousand meters.
CEO Jean Floyd noted that the creation of the aircraft is at the initial stage, therefore to speak about flight tests yet.
Airplane to launch rockets from Stratolaunch Systems first time out of the hangar
Vyacheslav Larionov