Personal Spacecraft: Stratolaunch vs Virgin Galactic
When it comes to going to space, there are two major players on the scene: Stratolaunch and Virgin Galactic. Both companies have been investing in personal spacecraft technology, but which one is better? Here's a comparison with some numbers for good measure.
Stratolaunch
Stratolaunch is a company that was founded in 2011 by the late Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. It was created with the aim of launching rockets into space from a giant aircraft. The Stratolaunch aircraft has a wingspan of 385 feet, making it the largest aircraft in the world by wingspan. It carries a rocket under its belly, which is released at an altitude of 35,000 feet. The rocket then ignites and carries its payload into low Earth orbit.
As of 2021, Stratolaunch has successfully completed one test flight, on April 13th, 2019, which lasted for 150 minutes.
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic, on the other hand, is a company founded by Richard Branson in 2004. It aims to take paying customers to space in a personal spacecraft called SpaceShipTwo. The spacecraft is carried aloft by a carrier plane, WhiteKnightTwo, to an altitude of around 50,000 feet. From there, SpaceShipTwo separates, and its rocket motor ignites to propel it to an altitude of around 55 miles.
As of 2021, Virgin Galactic has completed two successful manned spaceflights with a total of 6 passengers on board. The first was on July 11th, 2021, and the second was on July 20th, 2021, which carried Sir Richard Branson himself.
Comparison
| Company | Stratolaunch | Virgin Galactic |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 2004 |
| Founder | Paul Allen | Richard Branson |
| Method | Air-to-space | Air-to-space |
| Max altitude | Low Earth orbit | 55 miles |
| Successful test flight | 1 | 2 |
| Passengers flown | 0 | 6 |
The table above shows a brief comparison between the two companies. When it comes to altitude, Stratolaunch can take its payload into low Earth orbit, around 200 miles above the Earth's surface. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, on the other hand, reaches a height of around 55 miles, which is enough to enter space but not orbit the Earth.
However, when it comes to manned spaceflights, Virgin Galactic has completed two successful trips with six passengers flown. Stratolaunch, on the other hand, has not yet flown any passengers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both Stratolaunch and Virgin Galactic are investing in personal spacecraft technology, but they operate in slightly different areas. Stratolaunch aims to take payloads into low Earth orbit, while Virgin Galactic wants to take paying customers on short trips to space. As time passes, both companies are likely to make further advancements in personal spacecraft technology.
While we do not have enough data to say which company is better than the other, we do know that competition in the market is bound to drive advancements in technology, and this can only be a good thing for space travel enthusiasts.