Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The McDonnell Douglas Barbarian was a heavy-lift launch vehicle concept proposed by McDonnell Douglas in 1987 as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative. It was designed to carry large payloads, including the proposed Zenith-Star chemical laser, into low Earth orbit. However, the project never advanced beyond the design stage.
The vehicle's configuration included three solid-fuel boosters based on the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters. These were to be mounted around a circular structure composed of six Delta II main stages arranged in a ring, encircling a central Delta II main stage.
The McDonnell Douglas Barbarian was a heavy-lift launch vehicle concept proposed by McDonnell Douglas in 1987 as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative. It was designed to carry large payloads, including the proposed Zenith-Star chemical laser, into low Earth orbit. However, the project never advanced beyond the design stage.
The vehicle's configuration included three solid-fuel boosters based on the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters. These were to be mounted around a circular structure composed of six Delta II main stages arranged in a ring, encircling a central Delta II main stage.
