Paul Allen, Supersizing Space Flight, The Wall Street Journal

"Billionaire's Novel Vision Has Wingspan Wider Than a Football Field, Weighs 1.2 Million Pounds"

Paul Allen, the wealthy co-founder of Microsoft Corp. has decided to use $200 million of his money to develop a new airplane that can be used to launch satellites into Space. The early designs for this plane show it as a combination of two entire Boeing 747 jets with an additional rocket booster to help propel the plane into space. The idea behind the design is a fascinating plan to make space launches cheaper, simpler, and less dependent on weather conditions and optimal launch times. The enormous plane would take off normally, fly to high altitudes and then ignite the rocket booster to launch it into low orbit. Why would someone invest this much money in an uncertain project like this with a long term horizon to realizing any potential gains. Mr. Allen and his partners see their venture as a huge step to commercial space launches, the industry that has begun to develop after the U.S. and other nations decided to cut funding to space programs. The plan expects test flights to begin in as little as 5 years.

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