5 ms·
Launches are very often cancelled due to weather, and launch windows are usually limited due to the physical location of the launch pad. Stratolaunch solves bo
by tropo 8y ago
Launches are very often cancelled due to weather, and launch windows are usually limited due to the physical location of the launch pad.
Stratolaunch solves both those problems.
- ThenAsNow 8y agoAgree that picking the launch point and azimuth could address these issues. Of course, you'd have to be clear of ground-level weather enough for the Strato stack to take off, and the upper level winds associated with the trajectory would also need to be within the vehicle constraints, so it's not like you're free of thinking about weather. While that's all true of air-launch, saying "Stratolaunch solves both those problems" is overstating the case. Right now, the only stages they have after their air carrier "Stage 0" are economically uncompetitive Pegasus XLs, and it's not clear what the weather capability is of their carrier aircraft.