A photo from open sources
The idea of air space launches cannot be called new. Also in mid sixties of the last century Gleb Lozino-Lozinsky – one of the leading Soviet aerospace developers devices – headed the “Spiral” program to create an orbital a plane that would be launched into space at hypersonic speed booster. Air launch was considered quite promising technology for launching rockets and other space technicians.
Now, Russian scientists have again drawn attention to it. The last domestic successor to the Spiral can be considered aerospace project “Blizzard”. At the moment in our country a two-stage reusable aerospace is being developed dual purpose system. Act as a carrier aircraft should heavy military transport “IL-76” equipped hypersonic engine. The main objectives of the project will be general biological and technological research, launch microsatellites, receiving new materials from space, photo reconnaissance, intercepting enemy equipment and so on.
A photo from open sources
According to domestic scientists, use as launch sites not of land and sea spaceports, but transport aircraft will significantly save “health” missiles, and choose the most convenient starting points. For instance, to significantly save fuel, the rocket should first deliver by plane to the equator, and from there already run to space. The authors of the project “Blizzard” are convinced that the “IL-76”, equipped also a special farm for mounting reusable missiles, will perfect flying spaceport.
Similar starts, presumably, will be carried out on ten to fifteen kilometers high. The rarefied atmosphere will be in such a situation, it’s very useful, because thanks to it, the start-up will be facilitated, and fuel saved. The second step will be run at an altitude of about a hundred kilometers, completing the conclusion aircraft with cargo in a given orbit.
Air starts will require tremendous speed, while at only relatively small loads can be delivered to the orbit – weighing up to five tons. However, Russian craftsmen claim that it will not create any problems, and similar disadvantages will be with more than offset by the ease of launches.
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