In the Mojave desert, on the site of the aviation and space port of the same name, an unusual engineering and driving feat was carried out that combined advanced aviation technology and top automotive performance. The central actors of this mission were the largest aircraft in the world by wingspan, called “Roc” by Stratolaunch, and the prototype of the new electric vehicle Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric.
An unprecedented undertaking
The original idea came from the curiosity and aerodynamic calculations of engineers who noticed a specific zone of calm air behind the aircraft’s landing gear, located within the otherwise extremely turbulent zone of jet thrust and turbulence. In order to confirm the theory about the possibility of a car passing under an airplane during takeoff and landing, a vehicle of exceptional specifications was needed.
Requirements included immense power, impeccable stability and the ability to accelerate in excess of 257 km/h to surpass the aircraft’s take-off speed. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric model proved to be an ideal candidate with a total of 1,139 horsepower (850 kW), acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in about 2.4 seconds and an active aerodynamics system.
The Roc aircraft, made of composite materials and designed as a launch platform for space vehicles and hypersonic tests, is distinguished by a wingspan of 117.3 meters and as many as six powerful engines. Despite this, months of calculations have shown that there is a safe space to move under the spacecraft. Behind the wheel of the Porsche was former Porsche factory driver and endurance racer Patrick Long, who had to maintain the precise position of the car in relation to the aircraft’s landing gear.
Taking off and landing next to the car
During takeoff, after all six of the plane’s engines had reached full power, Long activated the Boost mode. The vehicle maintained its stability despite the strong sound and turbulence of the engine, and at the moment of separation of the aircraft from the ground, the car reached a speed of more than 273.5 km/h. A safe stop at the end of the runway was made possible by the optional carbon-ceramic brakes.
After the successful first flight, the team also tested the maneuver of the escort vehicle during landing, a practice inspired by the procedures of the US Air Force when landing Lockheed U-2 aircraft. The Cayenne accelerated and precisely timed its entry into the zone below the Roc aircraft as the aircraft approached the runway. In total, two takeoffs and two landings were performed without any damage to the vehicle, and everything was documented in an attractive video.