Microsoft Tycoon new plan for plane, launching rockets in the air!

Paul Allen has decided to build the biggest plane ever, and then have it launch a rocket at 30000 ft!!

Paul G. Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, said Tuesday that he was entering the rocket business with a concept seldom used until now: a plane that can take off the conventional way and then, at 30,000 feet, launch a rocket to orbit, carrying with it satellites, supplies and — eventually — people. The first rocket launching could be as soon as 2016.

I think this is rather exciting news, and if it can be applied for civilian use, albeit at a price to match, it might be very interesting.

This plane will be even bigger and heavier than the legendary Spruce Goose that Howard Hughes build in 1947, with an estimated wingspan of 385 ft!

“With government-funded spaceflight diminishing, there is a much expanded opportunity for privately funded efforts,” Mr. Allen said. He noted that NASA had ended its space shuttle program this year, scrapped plans to return to the Moon and begun relying solely on Russia for launching astronauts to the International Space Station. He said his new effort would help keep “keep America at the forefront of space exploration.

Privateers, and tycoons like Allen, certainly seem to keep that dream alive for America.

Here is the full aritcle, rather interesting read.

vvv

Microsoft co-founder Allen Launches Space Project
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by alfa1


Thank you Mr. Alfa, i searched, but did not find it, my bad.

Cheers.

vvv

I think projects like this are great, simply because the frontier of space travel is wide open, and the baby-steps have already been taken, although space travel is still in its infancy. If we want the field to expand, there will have to be citizens with the means to fund projects such as this one, that will actually DO it.

I personally feel that in the upcoming years we will see corporations being formed, followed by the raising of large amounts of capital, with the goal of space-tourism...That would be awesome. Anyone can go into space now, but only if you have LOTS of money to throw around.

An economical way to travel into space could allow a wider variety of individuals to experience a truly wonderful sight. I do feel however that it WILL take the development of propulsion systems that aren't based on fossil-fuels. That is where a lot of the cost comes in...