System and method for carrying an aeronautical or launch vehicle to altitude for release to flight

A mounting element for facilitating carrying an aeronautical or launch vehicle to altitude for release to flight, the mounting element comprising:

• a cradle configured to be affixed to a carrier aircraft;
• and
• a retention strap configured to be suspendedly attached to the cradle, and being actuatable from a retention configuration to a release configuration;
• wherein the retention configuration enables the retention strap to clampingly secure the vehicle to the respective cradles;
• and
• wherein the actuation from the retention configuration to the release configuration disables the clamping securement and thereby releases the vehicle to drop away from the cradle.

A method for carrying an aerospace or launch vehicle to altitude for release to flight, the method comprising:

• providing a multiplicity of mounting elements, each mounting element including a cradle and a retention strap, each said retention strap being suspendedly attached to a respective said cradle and being actuatable from a retention configuration to a release configuration;
• affixing the cradles to a carrier aircraft in distributed fashion along a mounting axis;
• clampingly securing the vehicle to the cradles by placing the securing straps into the retention configuration;
• flying the vehicle to a release altitude by way of the carrier aircraft;
• and
• actuating the retention straps to the release configuration so as to disable the clamping securement and thereby release the vehicle to drop away from the cradles.