Paul Allen announces a new launch system
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has announced his intention to create a new company, called Stratolaunch Systems, to market a proprietary launch system in which the first stage will be a stratospheric aircraft. The second stage will be dropped from the aircraft at extremely high altitude.
The aircraft wll be designed by Burt Rutan, creator of some of the most innovative designs of the past two decades and winner of the X-Prize with his SpaceShipOne. Rutan is currently involved in the testing of SpaceShipTwo, which will open the suborbital tourism market under the Virgin banner.
Unlike SpaceShipTwo, which can reach 110 km altitudes with a ballistic flight, the new system will be capable of orbiting both passengers and payload. The first test flight could take place in 2015.
