Pentagon Wants F-15 Jets Launching Satellites into Orbit | World Defense

Pentagon Wants F-15 Jets Launching Satellites into Orbit

rares209

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The Pentagon wants to launch satellites from a fighter jet as it seeks to lower the costs of sending Defense Department satellites into space.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is leading the project called Airborne Launch Assist Space Access, or ALASA. Bradford Tousley, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said earlier this month the agency plans to execute the program’s first flight demonstration by the end of the year and then 12 orbital tests in 2016.

Engineers have designed a launch vehicle that can be carried under an F-15. The F-15 would carry the launch vehicle to a high enough altitude before the launch vehicle would separate from the aircraft. The vehicle would then use its own rocket boosters to leave the Earth’s atmosphere before delivering the satellite into orbit.

Source: Video: Pentagon Wants F-15 Jets Launching Satellites into Orbit | Defense Tech
 

vegito12

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This may be good, and also shows how technology has been helping out and also how the jet will have satellites which goes to show what can be done now and should be good to see. The video looks impressive and also shows that the jet, is able to deal with this technology put in there and would show images from space. I hope we will see what the images show and will be nice to see, what we can learn about the earth and how it works as well.
 

pwarbi

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In principle this sounds like a good idea, I'd be intrigued to see if it's actually possible though?

I think it also begs the question, while this may cut down on the cost in the long term, just how much has already been invested in developing the system initially?
 
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