缩放复合材料模型 348 – 照片和视频

这 缩放复合材料型号 348 White Knight Two (WK2) is a quadjet cargo aircraft that is used to lift the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft to release altitude. It was developed by Scaled Composites from 2007 to 2010 as the first stage of Tier 1b, a two-stage to suborbital-space manned launch system. WK2 is based on the successful mothership to SpaceShipOne, White Knight, which itself is based on Proteus. With an “open architecture” design and explicit plans for multi-purpose use, the aircraft could also operate as a zero-g aircraft for passenger training or microgravity science flights, handle missions in high-altitude testing more generally, or be used to launch payloads other than SpaceShipTwo. A study of use of the aircraft as a forest fire water bomber has also been mentioned, one that would utilize a large carbon composite water tank that could be quickly replenished to make repeat runs over fires.

源： 维基百科上的缩放复合材料型号 348

Scaled Composites Model 348是由诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司的子公司Scaled Composites设计和制造的双机身飞机。该飞机旨在作为Stratolaunch空中发射系统的载体，该系统旨在从高空发射轨道火箭。348型的翼展为117米（385英尺），是有史以来翼展最大的飞机。它由六台Pratt&Whitney PW4056涡扇发动机提供动力，每台发动机产生252 kN（56，750 lbf）的推力。
该飞机可携带高达250，000千克（550，000磅）的有效载荷，最大起飞重量为589，670千克（130万磅）。348 型于 2019 年 4 月 13 日首飞，此后进行了多次试飞，以评估其性能和操控特性。该飞机预计将在本世纪20年代中期开始发射火箭，第一个客户是Orbital ATK，该公司计划使用Stratolaunch系统发射其Pegasus XL火箭。