Space launch firm Stratolaunch has unveiled ambitious plans for four different launch vehicles, including a reusable space plane, to go along with its massive carrier aircraft. The company’s goal is to use the multi-tier concept to provide a cost-effective and relatively quick means of putting payloads weighing more than 13,000 pounds into orbit and potentially bringing other cargo, or even personnel, to and from the Earth's surface, all of which could be especially useful for military applications. The Washington state-headquartered company, which Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, set up in 2011, announced its latest vision for the Stratolaunch system on Aug. 20, 2018. The planned family of launch vehicles will include Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Pegasus XL, followed by a Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV), a more capable Medium Launch Vehicle-Heavy (MLV-H), and finally, a space plane known as “Black Ice.”

“We are excited to share for the first time some details about the development of our own, proprietary Stratolaunch launch vehicles, with which we will offer a flexible launch capability unlike any other,” Jean Floyd, Stratolaunch’s CEO, said in a press release. “Whatever the payload, whatever the orbit, getting your satellite into space will soon be as easy as booking an airline flight.” Orbital Sciences Corporation, previously part of Orbital ATK and now part of Northrop Grumman, first successfully flew the Pegasus back in 1990 and introduced the XL model in 1994. Stratolaunch has long said that this would be one option for getting payloads into space via air launch from its own still-in-development mothership. Scaled Composites, which is building the aircraft, calls it the "Roc," after the mythological bird of prey that was said to be big enough to swoop down and carry away elephants.

Stratolaunch. The Stratolaunch Roc while still under construction in 2017.

Pegasus XL can carry up to three payloads with a total weight of approximately 815 pounds and put them into a low earth orbit (LEO). Stratolaunch hopes to achieve the first flight of its carrier aircraft with one of these rockets in 2020. Stratolaunch says the Roc will be able to carry up to three of these rockets at once, making it an even more flexible launch option. The MLV, which would hopefully make its first flight in 2022 and is also nicknamed “Kraken,” would offer more than nine times the payload capacity using a single rocket motor. The multi-motor MLV-H, which is reportedly in the early stages of development, would be able to lug payloads weighing approximately 13,220 pounds into LEO, or get a space-based system weighing up to 4,500 pounds into geostationary orbit.

Stratolaunch An artist's conception of the MLV Kraken, at left, and the MLV-H, at right.

But the crown jewel of the Stratolaunch family is clearly the Black Ice space plane, which is presently just a design study. Unlikely the other three launch options, this vehicle would be able to not only go into space, but also come back and land like a regular airplane before getting prepped for another mission. Stratolaunch says it plans for this vehicle to be “a fully reusable space plane that enables advanced in-orbit capabilities and cargo return. Initial designs optimized for cargo launch, with a follow-on variant capable of transporting crew,” according to the company’s press release.

Stratolaunch An artist's conception of the Black Ice spaceplane.