The An-225/Interim Hotol Launch Vehicle
Abstract
The use of the Antonov An-225 heavy lift aircraft provides the possibility of launching a (nearly) single-stage vehicle at altitude using conventional rocket propulsion but drawing on the Hotol airframe technology. This paper discusses the performance, orbiter design, An-225 carriage and separation, operations, and economics of this An-225/Interim Hotol Launch Vehicle.
- Publication:
-
Montreal International Astronautical Federation Congress
- Pub Date:
- October 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991mont.iafcS....N
- Keywords:
-
- Air Launching;
- Hotol Launch Vehicle;
- Spacecraft Design;
- Engine Airframe Integration;
- U.S.S.R. Space Program;
- Uk Space Program;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles