Benefits of air-launching a rocket Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern) Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Unicorn Meta Zoo #1: Why another podcast?Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?Why are spacecraft not air-launched from airplanesRange safety for air-launch vehiclesFloating LaunchShould all the Air-Launch systems be deployed at sub-sonic speeds?Is it coincidence that the Electron has very similar dimensions to the Pegasus?Air-launching an Electron-like LOX-based rocket from a plane; technical challenges?All dressed up and no place to go; who will be Stratolauncher's aircraft-launched rocket?
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Benefits of air-launching a rocket
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 23:30 UTC (7:30pm US/Eastern)
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Unicorn Meta Zoo #1: Why another podcast?Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?Why are spacecraft not air-launched from airplanesRange safety for air-launch vehiclesFloating LaunchShould all the Air-Launch systems be deployed at sub-sonic speeds?Is it coincidence that the Electron has very similar dimensions to the Pegasus?Air-launching an Electron-like LOX-based rocket from a plane; technical challenges?All dressed up and no place to go; who will be Stratolauncher's aircraft-launched rocket?
$begingroup$
Is there a way to quantify how much you would gain by air-launching a rocket compared to a ground launch?
air-launch
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Is there a way to quantify how much you would gain by air-launching a rocket compared to a ground launch?
air-launch
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
Possible duplicates: Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?, Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?
$endgroup$
– DarkDust
6 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Is there a way to quantify how much you would gain by air-launching a rocket compared to a ground launch?
air-launch
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
Is there a way to quantify how much you would gain by air-launching a rocket compared to a ground launch?
air-launch
air-launch
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
asked 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
96.6k2272427
1
$begingroup$
Possible duplicates: Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?, Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?
$endgroup$
– DarkDust
6 hours ago
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
Possible duplicates: Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?, Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?
$endgroup$
– DarkDust
6 hours ago
1
1
$begingroup$
Possible duplicates: Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?, Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?
$endgroup$
– DarkDust
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
Possible duplicates: Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?, Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?
$endgroup$
– DarkDust
6 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
I came across a fairly detailed comparison made by the team that worked on Interim HOTOL.
Delta-v required for a vertical launch SSTO (e.g. Delta Clipper) to LEO: 9361 m/s
For Interim Hotol:
- speed supplied by launch aircraft (An-225), launching at Mach 0.8 at 9 km altitude: - 235 m/s
- drag loss: + 67 m/s
- gravity losses: - 670 m/s
- Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude: - 180 m/s
- Thrust vectoring demands: + 10 m/s
- Improved engine Isp due to altitude start: - 214 m/s
for a total reduction in delta-V of 1222 m/s, or 13%, translating into a 24% reduction in propellant requirement.
From the book 'Spaceflight in the era of aero-space planes' (R. Hannigan, Krieger publishing, 1994).
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
I came across a fairly detailed comparison made by the team that worked on Interim HOTOL.
Delta-v required for a vertical launch SSTO (e.g. Delta Clipper) to LEO: 9361 m/s
For Interim Hotol:
- speed supplied by launch aircraft (An-225), launching at Mach 0.8 at 9 km altitude: - 235 m/s
- drag loss: + 67 m/s
- gravity losses: - 670 m/s
- Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude: - 180 m/s
- Thrust vectoring demands: + 10 m/s
- Improved engine Isp due to altitude start: - 214 m/s
for a total reduction in delta-V of 1222 m/s, or 13%, translating into a 24% reduction in propellant requirement.
From the book 'Spaceflight in the era of aero-space planes' (R. Hannigan, Krieger publishing, 1994).
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I came across a fairly detailed comparison made by the team that worked on Interim HOTOL.
Delta-v required for a vertical launch SSTO (e.g. Delta Clipper) to LEO: 9361 m/s
For Interim Hotol:
- speed supplied by launch aircraft (An-225), launching at Mach 0.8 at 9 km altitude: - 235 m/s
- drag loss: + 67 m/s
- gravity losses: - 670 m/s
- Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude: - 180 m/s
- Thrust vectoring demands: + 10 m/s
- Improved engine Isp due to altitude start: - 214 m/s
for a total reduction in delta-V of 1222 m/s, or 13%, translating into a 24% reduction in propellant requirement.
From the book 'Spaceflight in the era of aero-space planes' (R. Hannigan, Krieger publishing, 1994).
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I came across a fairly detailed comparison made by the team that worked on Interim HOTOL.
Delta-v required for a vertical launch SSTO (e.g. Delta Clipper) to LEO: 9361 m/s
For Interim Hotol:
- speed supplied by launch aircraft (An-225), launching at Mach 0.8 at 9 km altitude: - 235 m/s
- drag loss: + 67 m/s
- gravity losses: - 670 m/s
- Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude: - 180 m/s
- Thrust vectoring demands: + 10 m/s
- Improved engine Isp due to altitude start: - 214 m/s
for a total reduction in delta-V of 1222 m/s, or 13%, translating into a 24% reduction in propellant requirement.
From the book 'Spaceflight in the era of aero-space planes' (R. Hannigan, Krieger publishing, 1994).
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
$endgroup$
I came across a fairly detailed comparison made by the team that worked on Interim HOTOL.
Delta-v required for a vertical launch SSTO (e.g. Delta Clipper) to LEO: 9361 m/s
For Interim Hotol:
- speed supplied by launch aircraft (An-225), launching at Mach 0.8 at 9 km altitude: - 235 m/s
- drag loss: + 67 m/s
- gravity losses: - 670 m/s
- Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude: - 180 m/s
- Thrust vectoring demands: + 10 m/s
- Improved engine Isp due to altitude start: - 214 m/s
for a total reduction in delta-V of 1222 m/s, or 13%, translating into a 24% reduction in propellant requirement.
From the book 'Spaceflight in the era of aero-space planes' (R. Hannigan, Krieger publishing, 1994).
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
answered 7 hours ago
HobbesHobbes
96.6k2272427
96.6k2272427
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
Are the +67m/s drag loss related to the attitude change, from horizontal to suborbital trajectory? And are drag gains (from not having to go through 9km of dense atmosphere) already summed up into this result of +67?
$endgroup$
– qq jkztd
6 hours ago
1
1
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
"Isp underexpansion losses at low altitude" and "improved engine Isp due to altitude start" seem like they should be the same thing, so I'm a little suspicious of this accounting.
$endgroup$
– Russell Borogove
6 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
The book doesn't go into more detail than what I've supplied. The calculation was originally made by BAe and TsAGI for a presentation to ESA.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
Could this be the difference? 'Isp underexpansion losses' are the losses you avoid by not running the rocket at 0-9 km altitude, and 'improved engine Isp' is the gain you get by tuning the nozzle for the 9km+ regime.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
5 hours ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
$begingroup$
What's interesting about this is while Elon Musk has said it's only around a 5% savings, this comparison shows substantially more.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
41 mins ago
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
Possible duplicates: Why aren't all satellite-carrying rockets launched from airplanes?, Is the “airship to orbit” mission profile feasible?
$endgroup$
– DarkDust
6 hours ago