Kind of seems like everyone missed this, but it was announced at the end of last month. I was going to put this in the SPW, but I wanted to write more than a few lines about this.
Stratolaunch, creators of the world’s largest plane is shutting down. They were founded by the late-great Paul Allen in 2011 and finally finished their epic Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch is the largest plane in the world, topping the Hercules and the An-225.
This beast of a plane was supposed to carry near-spaceflight craft into the upper atmosphere, and possibly be used in the future for true spacecraft. It was revolutionary: two cockpits (each with their own rear-wings, 28 landing gear wheels, and a wingspan longer than a football field.
It could carry a maximum of 250 tons, which surprisingly is less than than a 747 could carry but was plenty for what it was supposed to do.
It’s unclear as to whether the 351 will be sold to some other company, possibly SpaceX or Virgin Galactic, but we can all hope that such and amazing creation will not be mothballed. Paul Allen wanted to help the future of spaceflight out with his vision, and it’s sad that the project is in jeopardy.
Wow let me try to make this
No sense in exploring if there’s no country to come home to
@ThePrototype
I was gonna mention that but I didn't, their budget is low in my opinion. Why not take some funding from the military and divert it to NASA? I wish we would do that. @Awsomur
As if NASA has enough money to do that
@ThePrototype
To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if NASA wanted it for testing and such, but you never know what will happen with it.
:(
@Awsomur lol yes
There’s no good way of determining the largest. Some say the Spruce Goose, others say the Myira, and then others the Stratolauncher.
@DeidaraEnterprises
Stratolaunch isn't the biggest, it's the widest wingspan.
This is depressing
Rip in chat
1) Jeasus Christs!
2) God Damn!
3) Why?
But still, we definitely need to buy. Maybe we can get a discount cause we’re a plane community.
F
Can you imagine how ridiculously epic that would be.
@Notaleopard
NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
If the SimplePlanes Community brought it
This might become the SimplePlanes Mobile Convention Center.
if we can pitch in enough money to buy it @ChiyomiAnzai
@Awsomur @ChiyomiAnzai @Axartar it would be funny if we as a community bought it
I have 1,500 dollars, I'll chip in some money too!
Aww.... this is.... sad
It’s very much real
@BACconcordepilot
@FLATTEREARTH do they take british pounds I have 2 quid and 47 pence here I could chip in any takers? @Awsomur @ChiyomiAnzai
prolly close to 200-250 million dolars, or 16 dollars and 2 cents, i dunno
If Rainier Aerospace existed in real life, they'd buy the Stratolaunch in a heart-beat. This would serve as a great air-launch platform for Rainier's future space shuttle. But in the realms of fictional RP, Rainier is actually considering buying the Stratolaunch, or if another company buys it, task Scaled Composites to build another Model 351 Stratolaunch.