{"id":18872,"date":"2017-07-19T01:32:09","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T17:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/air-force-secretary-hints-at-military-space-applications-for-stratolaunch-super-plane\/"},"modified":"2017-07-19T01:32:09","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T17:32:09","slug":"air-force-secretary-hints-at-military-space-applications-for-stratolaunch-super-plane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/air-force-secretary-hints-at-military-space-applications-for-stratolaunch-super-plane\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force secretary hints at military space applications for Stratolaunch super-plane"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_349594\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-349594\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-349594\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/170718-stratolaunch-630x481.jpg\" alt=\"Heather Wilson at Stratolaunch\" width=\"630\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/170718-stratolaunch-630x481.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/170718-stratolaunch-768x586.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/170718-stratolaunch-1260x962.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/170718-stratolaunch.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-349594\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson chats with Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd (left) at the company\u2019s hangar in Mojave, Calif. The twin-tailed airplane is behind them. (Heather Wilson via Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Stratolaunch, the six-year-old space venture backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, says it\u2019ll use the world\u2019s biggest airplane to launch small satellites into orbit \u2013 but what kind of satellites?<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s executives have always said the Pentagon could be a payload customer, but when Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson visited Stratolaunch\u2019s super-hangar at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California on Monday, it threw a spotlight on how important military contracts could be.<\/p>\n<p>The twin-fuselage Stratolaunch plane, nicknamed Roc, is designed to carry as much as 550,000 pounds of payload up to an altitude of about 30,000 feet for launch during midflight. The plane can take off from any runway that can accommodate a 385-foot-wide, 1.3-million-pound monster. Satellites can be sent to any orbital inclination at any time, regardless of the weather. Multiple rockets can be launched during a single sortie,<\/p>\n<p>All that may seem like overkill for commercial payloads, but Stratolaunch\u2019s capability meshes well with the Pentagon\u2019s campaign for \u201coperationally responsive space\u201d&nbsp;\u2013 that is, the quick deployment of satellites to monitor a hot spot or provide communications in a crisis.<\/p>\n<p>Stratolaunch spokesman Steve Lombardi did not provide details about Wilson\u2019s discussions with company executives, but said her visit made for \u201can exciting day at the hangar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=true&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=887164577850552320&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2017%2Fair-force-secretary-highlights-military-space-applications-stratolaunch-super-airplane%2F&amp;sessionId=264ab3254c161d86113fd59282593bea2cc4ad61&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"887164577850552320\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-cards=\"hidden\" data-lang=\"en\" data-twitter-extracted-i178280234875415347=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Today I had the chance to see firsthand how @Stratolaunch is developing an air-launch platform to make space more accessible #innovation pic.twitter.com\/EgJ4UvemUB<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dr. Heather Wilson (@SecAFOfficial) July 18, 2017<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=887394357254397952&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2017%2Fair-force-secretary-highlights-military-space-applications-stratolaunch-super-airplane%2F&amp;sessionId=264ab3254c161d86113fd59282593bea2cc4ad61&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"887394357254397952\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i178280234875415347=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thanks for stopping by Secretary Wilson! Easier access to space means better opportunities for all! https:\/\/t.co\/DLyXeKAtbw<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stratolaunch (@Stratolaunch) July 18, 2017<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey&nbsp;discussed innovation in the space industry and Stratolaunch\u2019s approach to making access to space more convenient, reliable and routine,\u201d he said in a statement emailed to GeekWire.<\/p>\n<p>After years of construction work, conducted in cooperation with Mojave-based Scaled Composites, the Stratolaunch plane was taken out of the hangar for the first time in May for tank testing, and then brought back inside for further ground tests.<\/p>\n<p>In March, Allen told GeekWire that the plane will \u201chopefully be flying\u201d by the end of the year. The current flight test schedule calls for the first launch demonstration to take place as early as 2019, using a single Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson chats with Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd (left) at the company\u2019s hangar in Mojave, Calif. The twin-tailed airplane is behind them. (Heather Wilson via Twitter) Stratolaunch, the six-year-old space venture backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, says it\u2019ll use the world\u2019s biggest airplane to launch small satellites into orbit \u2013 but [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[437,291,439,2672,2489],"class_list":["post-18872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-air-force","tag-commercial-space","tag-military","tag-paul-allen","tag-stratolaunch"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18872"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18872\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}