|
''Stargazer'', registration number N140SC, is a modified Lockheed L-1011 TriStar aircraft used by Orbital ATK as a mother ship launch pad for Pegasus rockets. , 35 rockets have been launched from it, using the Pegasus-H and Pegasus-XL configurations. ==History== The first Pegasus launch to use ''Stargazer'' was conducted on 27 June 1994, and was the maiden flight of the Pegasus-XL. Previous launches used the NASA-operated Boeing NB-52B ''Balls 8'', which was also used for four subsequent launches, as the original Pegasus could not be launched from ''Stargazer'' due to clearance issues. A modified version, the Pegasus-H, was introduced to rectify this. In addition to Pegasus launches, ''Stargazer'' was used for captive tests and transportation of the X-34 hypersonic research aircraft; however, drop tests used ''Balls 8''. Orbital Sciences also offer the aircraft for research flights.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title="Stargazer" L-1011 Carrier Aircraft )〕 It is capable of carrying a payload to an altitude of .〔(【引用サイトリンク】 L-1011 Fact Sheet )〕 Pegasus launches using ''Stargazer'' are usually conducted from Vandenberg Air Force Base. However, launches have also been conducted from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Wallops Flight Facility, and from launch sites outside the United States: Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and Gando Airport in Spain. In 2015, ''Stargazer'' was re-painted to reflect Orbital Sciences' merger with Alliant Techsystems.〔http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/04/19/new-orbital-atk-paint-job-for-pegasus-carrier-jet/〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Stargazer (aircraft)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|