Aerospace Instrument-Making Annotation << Back AIR LAUNCH ORBITAL PLANE FROM WIG-CRAFT A.V. Nebylov, V.A. Nebylov, A.Y. Knyazhsky Problem Statement: An important aerospace invention is the air launch. Air start is to launch a rocket or aerospace plane from another aircraft. The main problem of the air launch is a significant limitation of the mass of the payload put into orbit, caused by the restriction of the carrying capacity of the aircraft carrier (buster). Methods: Conceptual research of the technical feasibility of the air launch project, modeling. Purpose of work: In the work it is proposed to carry out an air launch of an aerospace plane from an ekranoplane. Results: The advantages of ekranoplanes over airplanes are a large payload and the ability to take off and land from an agitated sea, which eliminates the need for a runway. The ekranoplane can accelerate the aerospace plane (ASP) to the initial Mach speed of 0,5…0,65 in the required direction, which allows to reduce the requirements for the area of the ASP wing and the power of its engines. A comparison was made of an air launch from an aircraft that is close in design characteristics to the An-225 and a ground effect vehicle that is close in design characteristics to the Ship Mockup. The design of placement and docking of the ground effect vehicle with the VKS is proposed. Also in the work defined requirements for ekranoplanes, providing an air launch. Practical significance: The results of the work can be used to design an integrated air start system of ekranoplane-ASP, which has advantages in terms of capacity and mobility, over previously existing ones. Discussion: Development and construction of VKS with multi-mode engines - no less difficult task than the development and construction of a heavy ekranoplane. Key words: ekranoplane, air launch, aerospace plane, orbital plane. DOI: 10.25791/aviakosmos.06.2019.673 Contacts: E-mail: nebylov@aanet.ru, E-mail: knjagskij@mail.ru Pp. 13-19.