X49 StratoLiner Specifications!

23 March 2002 Draft (Revised), Millennium Twain

OK Mates! Here are the numbers, the specs, the 'scale' information for our first preliminary spaceplane design -- our baseline vehicle for which we are fundraising -- the X49 StratoLiner ScramShip!

The world's first airbreathing 'ScramJet' (HyperJet, SpaceJet) SpaceLiner!!

As you can see from the above sketch, the X49 'BlendedWingBody' StratoLiner has a wingspan of 45 meters! And also a length, nose to trailing edge, of 45 meters. This makes it more than twice as large as the black military aerospace industry's B2B Stealth freighter! At approximately 4,000 cubic meters volume, it has potentially more than twice the passenger capacity of a Boeing 747 Airliner! [Potentially three times the payload capability of the B2B Stealth carrier!!]

The current configuration of the X49 Stratos SpaceLiner carries 200 passengers.

She takes off from an international airport runway, utilizing both onboard hydrogen and oxygen propellants in her scram/rocket engines. After takeoff, she switches over to airbreathing mode, and turns off the onboard oxygen feed.





The Mass & Volume Specs.

In round numbers, first cut, we are talking a 'dry' and empty vehicle mass (including life suport, seating, etc.) of 40,000 kilograms. She holds 160,000 kilograms of rocket propellants, between her two (hydrogen and oxygen) tanks. About 50,000 kilograms of liquid hydrogen. And 110,000 kilograms of liguid oxygen.

This only provides one-third the oxygen required for our trip to orbit. The other two-thirds is provided free, by airbreathing in flight, between Mach 1 and Mach 15, during our ascent through the atmosphere. After Mach 15, and up to Mach 23 (8 kilometer per second orbital velocity), oxidizer is again provided to the 'ScramJets' (HyperJets, PlasmaJets) from the onboard oxygen tank. [As it is during takeoff.]

[RamJet means rammed air rocket engine. ScramJet means Supersonic (above Mach 1) rammed air rocket engine. HyperJet means a scramjet which operates above Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). A 'SpaceJet' or 'Plasmajet' means a universal velocity hydrogen and oxygen rocket -- with the capability of turning the 'airbreathing' on and off.]

OK, back to the mass figures!

With 230,000 kg of vehicle, fuel and engines -- the current X49 baseline has the capability of delivering 30 metric tonnes of payload -- another 30,000 kg -- to orbit. At 100 kg per person, she can deliver 300 passengers to an orbiting space station!

However, our X49 StratoLiner design is very conservative, roomy, and comfortable. Carrying only 200 passengers -- and plenty of furnishings and conveniences -- plus equipment and crew. We have still to assess the amount and kind of carryone baggage, convenience, personal and hygiene support required.




The above Max49 preview, by our chief artist Massimo Zuanazzi of Italy, shows how the canopy will appear on the X49 StratoLiner. Essentially all of the upper body is dedicated to transparent canopy for viewing. [Looking ahead and above during ascent, and looking at the Earth or the Stars during our orbital stay!!]

Detailed canopy and vehicle renderings by Maestro Massimo will be posted online ASAP, at the FireShips.Com/ships domain!




And finally, our volume and cost numbers!

The X49 StratoLiner has an approximate volume of 4,000 cubic meters. We require about 700 cubic meters for the fuel tanks (450 cubic meters hydrogen, 100 cubic meters oxygen) -- and about 100 cubic meters for the engines and flight systems. This leaves about 3,000 cubic meters or so for the passengers, furnishings, flight equipment, and crew.

VERY roomy!

This means several times first class seat and cabin space for ALL the X49 SpaceLiner tourists, and lots of room left over for passage ways, kitchens, restrooms, health facilities, cockpits, staffrooms, and baggage rooms & closets.

Lastly ... Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen each cost about 50 cents per liter. One-half US dollar per liter. As liquid hydrogen is so much lighter, that translates into about a fifteen times greater cost, per kilogram, for liquid hydrogen. We will pay on the order of US $250,000 for the liquid hydrogen for one flight, and about US $50,000 for the liquid oxygen. Rough numbers. Total fuel cost for one flight, about US $300,000.

In very round numbers, if we incur the same level of expense for flight preparation and operations, and a similar level to pay off vehicle amortization (cost of vehicle) then total costs per flight amounts to US $1 Million. About five thousand dollars expense per passenger!!

About five times an intercontinental airline flight ticket!!!






The X49 Stratos PassengerLiner, designed by FireShips founder Millennium Twain, is a development project of FireShips International.