Launching a shuttle from a passenger plane

A Swiss company has revealed plans to develop a shuttle launch system that brings satellites from the back of an Airbus passenger plane.

Swiss space company Space Systems said it is developing a shuttle launch system that carries satellites from an Airbus passenger plane. The cost of a satellite launch from this system is only about 7 million pounds, half the cost of launching a satellite with a rocket from the ground today.

Shuttle model from Airbus A300 passenger aircraft.

The S3 launcher system uses an Airbus A300 aircraft - an aircraft capable of operating in zero gravity and capable of carrying satellite weighing up to 250kg. Expected, this system will be exploited in 2017.

After being taken 10km from Airbus A300, the shuttle will activate the engine and fly up to 80km above the ground. Next, the shuttle's door will be opened to launch the satellite onto a predetermined orbit.

After completing the mission, the shuttle will return to Earth by landing at an American shuttle-like airport and being reused for the following missions. Space Systems also plans to build a separate space airport in Payerne (Switzerland).

The illustration of the process of bringing satellites to orbit with Airbus A300 aircraft.

Other countries like Malaysia and Morocco have stated that they are willing to cooperate with Space Systems to build a space airport in these countries. In addition, the Swiss company is also negotiating with some other potential partners.

System S3 will be a competitor to the LauncherOne launch system of the Virgin Galactic company. President of Virgin Galactic Company, Richard Branson, said their launch system could bring satellites to space at low cost.