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"We believe the most practical way to launch an intercontinental

March 6, 2018 by Kimberly Parks

"We believe the most practical way to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile into space is in a capsule," said Jeff Smith, Stratolaunch's president. "That's why we are taking this step. We believe that this is the first step in the right direction, and we have faith that this technology is safe to continue to improve."

In the meantime, the next step will be to develop a new launch vehicle capable of launching a single payload of 500 pounds. In other words, that's what Stratolaunch is calling "the P-2." That can also launch payloads up to 1,000 pounds. And if SpaceX ever does launch its first rocket, that would be a massive leap forward in the company's capability to deliver rockets into space.

The company's second flight of a Stratolaunch jet is scheduled for Dec. 6, and it will take three months for it to reach its target altitude.

NASA has already launched a Stratolaunch probe to Jupiter's moon, Europa, which is scheduled to land in July.

The first Stratolaunch rocket was launched in 2006, but that mission took a huge amount of time.

In fact, NASA has already launched three Stratolaunch flights in the 1960s. One of those was a flight from the International Space Station on March 7, 1964, and another on April 7, 1965.

NASA also launched a Stratolaunch jet from an orbiting laboratory called S.T.A.L.E. in 1981, which was used to carry Apollo 11 astronauts to the moon.

When asked how Stratolaunch could accomplish the task of bringing a rocket into space, Dr. Smith told Space.com that he expects the company to have a launch vehicle ready by the end of 2013.

"We are certainly doing a good job," he said, noting that a rocket launch is "an important part of our mission."

While some observers have suggested that NASA's rocket launches may be a waste of time, Stratolaunch's launch is not without its critics. According to the company's own web site, the launch pad is built using aluminum.

"What this means is that the company will have built a prototype of our launch vehicle. After that we will build the final stage and send it to a range of launch partners in the U.S.," said Dave Hennigan, a longtime critic of NASA's effort to space the moon.

NASA's latest test of its new rocket is scheduled for Dec. 10, and according to JPL's