Orion Carrier

Designed to carry the Orion III spaceplane to a ground speed of 3600 m/s before separating and landing at the Bahamas, the Orion Carrier Plane can also accommodate other loads, including the Shinkansen spaceplane and various cargo stages.

Despite the clear presence of windows, the Orion Carrier Plane operates uncrewed under normal circumstances due to the high G-forces involved in its return into the atmosphere prior to landing at
the Bahamas. However, a small cockpit is fitted in case it is deemed necessary for it to be piloted from the
Bahamas to its launch site at Tampico. That transfer between sites can also be accomplished automated, however. For that ferry mission, the plane would also be fitted with jet engines, which are normally omitted when it is carrying orbital loads. The OCP can also be carried from the Bahamas to Tampico by Stratolaunch’s Roc.

Carrier plane length: 76.4 meters
wingspan: 29.2 meters
height: 18.7 meters

Mass
Full system with Spaceplane: 1377.76 tons
Carrier full: 1206.52 tons
Carrier dry: 118.71 tons

Engines (Carrier):
9 x REX-3
2746 kN thrust (vac.) each
322 s ISP s.l. – 359 s ISP vac.

Carrier propellant:
532549.7 liters liquid methane
754735.1 liters liquid oxygen