Engineering:McDonnell Douglas Barbarian

The McDonnell Douglas Barbarian was a launch vehicle proposed by McDonnell Douglas in 1987 which would have been used to orbit the Zenith Star chemical laser as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative. Development of the vehicle did not progress beyond the design phase.

The Barbarian would have used three Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters attached to a cluster of seven main stages of the Delta II.

Specifications

• Payload: 45,400 kg to low Earth orbit (300 km altitude, 28 degrees inclination).
• Thrust at liftoff: 35,789.56 kN
• Total Mass: 2,500,000 kg
• Overall length: 31 m

Sources

• Wade, Mark (2008). Barbarian MDD