Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Paul Allen-backed Stratolaunch Systems promises flexible, low-cost access to space]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/paul-allen-backed-stratolauch-systems-promises-flexible-low-cos/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/paul-allen-backed-stratolauch-systems-promises-flexible-low-cos/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/paul-allen-backed-stratolauch-systems-promises-flexible-low-cos/#comments
When Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, legendary aerospace designer Burt Rutan and private spaceflight proponent Elon Musk team up on something, folks are bound to pay attention -- especially when they're promising nothing short of a "revolution in space transportation." At the center of that ambitious goal is a new company backed by Allen, Stratolaunch Systems, and a massive new aircraft to be designed and built by Rutan's Scaled Composites. If all goes as planned, it will be the size of two 747s (with a wingspan greater than the length of a football field), and it will be able to carry a 120 foot long rocket built by Musk's SpaceX to an altitude suitable for launch into orbit. Stratolaunch hopes to do that for a "fraction" of the cost of current launches, and it intends to eventually send everything from satellites to manned capsules into space.

As you might expect, however, all of that is still in the early stages. According to Spaceflight Now, Stratolaunch currently employs around 100 people (it says it plans a "significant ramp-up"), and complete details on the aircraft itself remain a bit murky (intentionally so, according to Allen). Flight testing is currently slated for the "2015 timeframe," though, with the first launch expected a year later. What's more, while it's not clear how much Allen plans to invest in the project, he has managed to attract some other big names to the project; former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin has joined as a board member, and Gary Wentz, a former chief engineer at NASA, will serve as President and CEO. Head on past the break for a teaser video of what they have planned.

Continue reading Paul Allen-backed Stratolaunch Systems promises flexible, low-cost access to space

Paul Allen-backed Stratolaunch Systems promises flexible, low-cost access to space originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allenburt rutanBurtRutanelon muskElonMusklaunchlaunch vehicleLaunchVehiclepaul allenPaulAllenprivateprivate spaceflightPrivateSpaceflightrocketrutanscaled compositesScaledCompositesspacespaceflightspacexstratolaunchstratolaunch systemsStratolaunchSystemsvideoTue, 13 Dec 2011 15:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Scaled Composites and Northrop Grumman's new Firebird spy plane: pilot optional]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/scaled-composites-and-northrup-grummans-new-firebird-spy-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/scaled-composites-and-northrup-grummans-new-firebird-spy-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/scaled-composites-and-northrup-grummans-new-firebird-spy-plane/#comments
Scaled Composites is best known for creating commercial spaceships for Sir Richard Branson, but it turns out the firm can construct more conventional flying machines, too. The company has joined forces with Northrop Grumman to build the Firebird, a flexible new plane that's a veritable surveillance Swiss Army knife. Part Predator UAV and part traditional aircraft, the Firebird can take to the skies with or without a human at the controls as it combs the earth for enemies of the state. What's more, the airframe's HD video and infrared cameras, radar, and communications gear in the fuselage are able to gather info simultaneously to find the bad guys, and those payloads are easily swapped for other equipment through a universal interface. It's scheduled to strut its intelligence-gathering stuff during a military exercise in a couple weeks, and if all goes according to plan, it'll become another terrorist tracking tool in the U.S. arsenal. Video of the brand new bird in action is after the break.

Continue reading Scaled Composites and Northrop Grumman's new Firebird spy plane: pilot optional

Scaled Composites and Northrop Grumman's new Firebird spy plane: pilot optional originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 May 2011 06:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aircraftairplanedronefirebirdNorthrop GrummanNorthropGrummanplaneScaled CompositesScaledCompositesspy planeSpyPlaneunmannedunmanned aerial vehicleunmanned aircraftUnmannedAerialVehicleUnmannedAircraftvideoTue, 10 May 2011 06:43:00 EST<![CDATA[In Idea Man, Paul Allen tells his side of co-founding Microsoft without pulling any punches]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/in-idea-man-paul-allen-tells-his-side-of-co-founding-microsoft/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/in-idea-man-paul-allen-tells-his-side-of-co-founding-microsoft/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/30/in-idea-man-paul-allen-tells-his-side-of-co-founding-microsoft/#commentsIn Idea Man, Paul Allen tells his side of co-founding Microsoft without pulling any punches These days Paul Allen is largely known for his ridiculously oversized yacht, his lawsuits, and his quest for commercial space flight, but of course it was co-founding Microsoft with Bill Gates that gave him the billions necessary to do all that fun stuff in the first place. Now he's looking back, writing a book called The Idea Man that, according to him, sets the record straight about the past -- starting with the title. Between the covers he alternately praises Bill Gates, saying he's "everything you'd want from a friend, caring and concerned," and lambasts him for his "mercenary opportunism" and for trying to dilute his share in the company, saying Gates was "out to grab as much of the pie as possible and hold on to it." Seems like Mr. Allen may have just burned a few bridges, but when you're worth about $13 billion that's the sort of thing you can get away with.

In Idea Man, Paul Allen tells his side of co-founding Microsoft without pulling any punches originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biographybookidea manIdeaManmemoirmicrosoftpaul allenPaulAllenscaled compositesScaledCompositesWed, 30 Mar 2011 11:04:00 EST<![CDATA[WhiteKnightTwo to be unveiled on Monday, space to seem less far away]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/26/whiteknighttwo-to-be-unveiled-on-monday-space-to-seem-less-far/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/26/whiteknighttwo-to-be-unveiled-on-monday-space-to-seem-less-far/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/26/whiteknighttwo-to-be-unveiled-on-monday-space-to-seem-less-far/#comments
Hold onto your dollar bills, y'all -- the WhiteKnightTwo is set to be unveiled (and swooned over) on Monday. We knew the fabled space tourism vehicle was set to be unwrapped this month, but knowing that said event is merely hours away just gets our juices flowin'. Richard Branson and "other dignitaries" are preparing to officially launch the ship at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California (a short drive from Zzyzx, we hear), and we're still being led to believe that test flights should begin as early as this fall. Hey, at least you know what you're doing next year if your ship comes in.

[Via The Register]

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WhiteKnightTwo to be unveiled on Monday, space to seem less far away originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>launchRichard BransonRichardBransonScaled CompositesScaledCompositesspaceSpace tourismspace travelSpaceTourismSpaceTraveltourismtravelVirgin GalacticVirginGalacticWhiteKnightTwoSat, 26 Jul 2008 13:23:00 EST<![CDATA[WhiteKnightTwo scheduled to rollout in July, fly in September]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/10/whiteknighttwo-scheduled-to-rollout-in-july-fly-in-september/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/10/whiteknighttwo-scheduled-to-rollout-in-july-fly-in-september/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/10/whiteknighttwo-scheduled-to-rollout-in-july-fly-in-september/#commentsWhiteKnightTwo
While much of the attention surrounding Virgin Galactic's race to space tourism has surrounded its SpaceShipTwo, word has come that carrier ship WhiteKnightTwo will rollout in late July, and after some ground tests, take to the skies by September. With this rollout come some new details about the composite, twin-boom mothership, which Virgin Galactic is selling as an "open architecture" that they are clearly open to pimping for other applications. Says Prez Will Whitehorn, "WhiteKnightTwo is the world's most advanced payload carrier. It has the best fuel efficiency of any aircraft ever built in history. It is the world's first 100% carbon composite aircraft." They are even looking into using WhiteKnightTwo as a forest fire water bomber with its payload capacity. Nonetheless, we care because the giant ship that will carry rich people to space at $200,000 a pop is going to be flying by September. Press passes please?

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WhiteKnightTwo scheduled to rollout in July, fly in September originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bransonscaled compositesScaledCompositessir richard bransonSirRichardBransonspaceshiptwovirgin galacticVirginGalacticwhiteknighttwowill whitehornWillWhitehornTue, 10 Jun 2008 09:25:00 EST<![CDATA[SpaceShipTwo, White Knight Two designs unveiled: aren't they cute?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/23/spaceshiptwo-white-knight-two-designs-unveiled-arent-they-cut/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/23/spaceshiptwo-white-knight-two-designs-unveiled-arent-they-cut/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/23/spaceshiptwo-white-knight-two-designs-unveiled-arent-they-cut/#comments As expected, Sir Richard Branson has just unveiled the final designs of SpaceShipTwo and White Knight Two, Virgin Galactic's planned commercial "spaceliner" and its corresponding carrier plane. At today's American Museum of Natural History launch event, Branson once again reiterated his lofty expectations for space tech in general and the six-passenger vehicle in particular, promising to promote privatization and more widespread research by offering outside organizations access to its launch system schematics. So far, Virgin has reportedly signed up 200 committed passengers willing to pay $200,000 for a 2010-or-later suborbital flight, but for now, all they can do is look at the pretty pictures in the gallery below.

Gallery: SpaceShipTwo, White Knight Two designs unveiled

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SpaceShipTwo, White Knight Two designs unveiled: aren't they cute? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burt ruttanBurtRuttanscaled compositesScaledCompositessir richard bransonSirRichardBransonspace travelspaceshiptwoSpaceTravelvirgin galacticVirginGalacticwhite knight twoWhiteKnightTwoWed, 23 Jan 2008 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Scaled Composites to unveil the SpaceShipTwo on January 23rd?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/scaled-composites-to-unveil-the-spaceshiptwo-on-january-23rd/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/scaled-composites-to-unveil-the-spaceshiptwo-on-january-23rd/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/scaled-composites-to-unveil-the-spaceshiptwo-on-january-23rd/#comments
It's been just a few months since a test of an experimental motor for Scaled Composites' SpaceShipTwo passenger space vehicles caused a deadly explosion at the company's Mojave Desert facility, but we're hearing whispers today that the craft will be unveiled on January 23rd, along with the WhiteKnightTwo carrier plane. Testing of the six-person ship will apparently start in mid-2008, with the first commercial Virgin Galactic flight tentatively scheduled for the end of 2009. That seems hopelessly optimistic to us, but then again, we're not ones to doubt the awesome combined powers of Burt Rutan and Richard Branson.

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Scaled Composites to unveil the SpaceShipTwo on January 23rd? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 05:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>scaled compositesScaledCompositesspace ship twoSpaceShipTwovirgin galacticVirginGalacticwhite knight twoWhiteKnightTwoFri, 04 Jan 2008 05:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Deadly blast rocks Virgin Galactic rocket test]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/27/deadly-blast-rocks-virgin-galactic-rocket-test/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/27/deadly-blast-rocks-virgin-galactic-rocket-test/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/27/deadly-blast-rocks-virgin-galactic-rocket-test/#comments
This week is quickly becoming a tough one for the aerospace industry, as just a day after NASA reported tampering on an ISS bound computer, an explosion at the Mojave Air and Space Port has claimed two lives and seriously injured four others. The blast reportedly occurred during a "test of a new rocket motor for SpaceShipTwo -- a spaceship being built for Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson's space tourism company." According to a spokeswoman for the spaceport, the blast was "on a remote pad" at an airport home to Scaled Composite (which is the builder of the first private manned rocket to reach space), but the firm's founder Burt Rutan wasn't in attendance when the "cold fire test" went awry.

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Deadly blast rocks Virgin Galactic rocket test originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerospaceairportblastburt rutanBurtRutandeathexplosionkillkilledkillsrichard bransonRichardBransonrocketScaled CompositesScaledCompositesspacecraftspaceportvirginVirgin GalacticVirginGalacticFri, 27 Jul 2007 10:58:00 EST