Giant satellite launcher takes shape

The Stratolaunch air-launch platform – the largest aircraft ever to be built – is aiming to begin ferrying rockets to space by the end of the decade

STRATOLAUNCH 351 “Roc”: Twin-bodied plane being built by Scaled Composites in California, close to completion

Cockpit: Three crew

Mating adaptor Designed to hold up to 230,000kg load

Satellite payload

Airframe Mainly lightweight graphite composites

Booster rocket

Six Boeing 747 engines

Funding: Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Estimated development cost: $300m

Wingspan 117m

88m An-225 (world’s largest plane to date)

MISSION PROFILE

Aircraft requiresminimum runway lengthof 3,650m (12,000ft)for takeoff

Ascent to launch altitude –aircraft range 2,200km

Booster rocket released at 9,000m(30,000ft)

Rocket takes satellite payload to low Earth orbit

Aircraft returns to base for reuse.Mission avoids huge fuel costs of launching rocket from Earth

Sources: Stratolaunch Systems, Vulcan Aerospace