As the development of Strato-launch's Air Launch and Scaled Composites' WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft shows, the use of wing-borne platforms for delivering rockets to orbit is set to grow as the industry strives for lower launch costs. However, unlike the latest purpose-built air launchers, which build on the experience gained over the years of proven mothership vehicles such as the Boeing B-52 and Orbital Sciences' Lockheed L-1011, a newly unveiled NASA air launch concept differs in one major aspect in that it has no engines. The agency is preparing to flight-test a scaled version of a towed-glider air-launch concept that it believes has the potential to "dramatically" reduce the cost of launching payloads into orbit. The scheme leverages the additional lifting capacity of a towed, high-aspect-ratio-configured glider to raise the rocket vehicle to an air-launch altitude.
展开▼
