Subsonic carrier
- ReleaseMach 0.8 at approximately 12 km
- AdvantageExisting aircraft, runways and maintenance practice
- Orbital stackCompact two-stage rocket is the credible baseline
- PurposeProve carriage, separation, ignition and range operations
Reusable air-breathing first stage
The first stage
that flies home.
A runway-launched hypersonic carrier uses the atmosphere for ascent. A compact orbital stage finishes the job in vacuum.
A staged answer to orbit
Do not carry wings to orbit. Do not carry first-stage oxygen from the runway. Let each vehicle do one job well.
Mach 5Carrier design point
40–60 kmTarget release band
7.73 km/sVelocity for 300 km orbit
100%First-stage recovery target
01 / SYSTEM
One mission.
Two purpose-built vehicles.
The carrier operates where air-breathing propulsion has leverage. The orbital stage takes over where only rocket propulsion works.
01
Runway departure
Aircraft mode
Reusable carrier departs conventionally with the orbital vehicle secured in a ventral cradle.
02
Hypersonic ascent
Atmosphere
Air-breathing propulsion accelerates the combined system toward Mach 5 without carrying first-stage oxidizer.
03
Ballistic zoom
Low dynamic pressure
A shallow coast trades a modest amount of speed for altitude while preserving horizontal momentum.
04
Orbit & return
Separate paths
The orbital stage ignites after clear separation. The carrier descends toward a runway recovery.
02 / SEPARATION
Keep the speed.
Lose the air.
The release target is near-zero vertical velocity—not zero total velocity. The carrier keeps its valuable downrange momentum while dynamic pressure collapses with altitude.
Concept visualization / low-q separationHorizontal velocity retained
03 / TRADE
Build what works now.
Earn Mach 5.
Subsonic air launch is the fastest path to flight data. Hypersonic launch is the long-term mass advantage.
Hypersonic carrier
- ReleaseMach 5 ascent, 40–60 km ballistic release
- AdvantageMaterial reduction in orbital-stage mass ratio
- Orbital stackOne high-performance stage if the mass budget closes
- PurposeRecover the most expensive stage through runway operations