New giant plane to launch people, cargo into orbit

Seattle: Microsoft Corp. founder Paul Allen and aviation pioneer Burt Rutan to build the world's biggest plane to launch astronauts and cargo into space, nurtures technology ventures in the last several American tycoons are clamoring to write the next chapter of space flight.

In his plan, unveiled Tuesday, call for a twin-hull aircraft wings longer than a football to a large rocket and drop it into the atmosphere, avoiding the need to take off the platform and the additional expense of rocket fuel.

Allen, who teamed with Rutan in 2004 sent the first privately funded manned spacecraft into space, said his new project "keep America at the forefront of space exploration" and give a new generation of kids something to dream about.

"We have lots and lots of challenges ahead," he told a news conference.

Rutan and Allen join a box full of Silicon Valley veteran who grew up in "Star Trek" and now want to fill void created by NASA to retire the space shuttle. Several companies are competing to develop the space cargo ship, and provide the International Space Station astronauts.
Allen bemoaned the decline of government-funded space flight.

"When I was growing up, the American space program was a symbol of aspiration," he said. "For me, never ending fascination with space. I've never stopped dreaming of what might be possible."

Allen and Rutan with the last experimental SpaceShipOne, which began to air a special plane. He became the first privately funded manned spacecraft into space in 2004 and subsequently won the dash $ 10 million Ansari X Prize in order to achieve the feat twice in two weeks.

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo will develop the licensed technology and space tourists.

The new aircraft has a wingspan 380 feet - the largest in the world. Plane can take his space capsule to its booster rocket belly, it's a blast into orbit after the plane will rise high into the atmosphere.

This method saves money not using rocket fuel to get off the ground. Another parent company Orbital Sciences Corp. rocket, used this method for unmanned rockets to launch satellites.

Rockets eventually leads to people, but initial tests, the 2016 is designed for unmanned aerial vehicles. It should be five more years before people get to ride the system, invite Stratolaunch Rutan and Allen.

The company, based in Huntsville, Ala., bills of their way to get to space, "all in orbit, at any time." Rutan is building carrier aircraft, 747 engines per month to use.

The spacecraft and the booster will be given another Internet tycoon, PayPal, Elon Musk, who has built a successful business rocket.

Allen left Microsoft 1983rd After his time with the software giant he has pursued many interests. He is the owner of Seattle Seahawks football team as well as the NBA Portland Trailblazer.

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