One of the founders of Microsoft, Paul Allen, plans to build a commercial spacecraft intended to transport cargo and human satellite.
"I've been wanting to build a personal spacecraft that will be capable of circling orbit space flexibly. This will be a revolutionary aircraft. I have prepared what is called Stratolaunch Systems to work on the project revolutionize the way humans into space," Allen said in a statement, Tuesday (13/12/2011).
For this purpose, Allen will work closely with the spacecraft designer Burt Rutan. Hopefully, in 2016 this aircraft will be operated commercially; carrying passengers (who pay the fare) and a satellite into space. The first test will be conducted in 2015.
Allen's desire to expand his business is not kidding. This was demonstrated by establishing a new company named Stratolaunch Systems, which specializes in the manufacture of the spacecraft project is.
Based on the preliminary design, passenger aircraft into space it will have a wing length of 385 feet (117 meters) and weigh 1.2 million pounds (480,000 kilograms). This aircraft will soon be made by a special team directly coordinated by Paul Allen. While the design of the aircraft will be made aerospace expert, Burt Rutan. Process of the aircraft will last for five years and its manufacture is centered in the Mojave Air and Space Port.
Spacecraft that will be named Stratolaunch it will use Boeing 747 six engine. While the concept is different from a plane flying spacecraft that was there before. If the spacecraft are far using rockets to the vertical direction, then Stratolaunch will fly like a plane in general. However, at a certain height, Stratolaunch will use the rocket so that the aircraft will be pushed very quickly into space. In addition, Stratolaunch expected to be more efficient in fuel use compared to the space shuttle has ever seen.
Reportedly, the opportunity to make a spaceship with a variety of models are increasingly open to private parties to stop the project after a NASA spaceship aircraft, including the Space Shuttle.
Allen became sole funder for the ambitious project. However, he did not say how much money is out of koceknya. Many people suggests, Allen spent $ 200 million or more that is much greater than the funds that have issued to support the first private space flight in 2004, amounting to 20 million U.S. dollars.
Allen is now 58 years old. According to Forbes, he was ranked the 57th richest person in the world with a net worth of 13.2 billion U.S. dollars. He was the last tycoon in the field of information technologies that have an interest in private space flight. *** [SPACE.COM | YAHOO NEWS | A-133 | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 15122011]
