Starfighters Space Advances STARLAUNCH™ 1 Toward Planned December Flight

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by Business Wire Starfighters Space Advances STARLAUNCH™ 1 Toward Planned December FlightAuthor of the article:Captive-carry flight planned as a key step toward drop testing, propulsion development, and suborbital air-launch missionsTHIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountKENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Starfighters Space, Inc. (“Starfighters” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: FJET), the space company operating the world’s only commercial fleet of flight-ready Mach 2+ supersonic aircraft, today announced it is advancing STARLAUNCH™ 1 toward a planned December captive-carry flight. STARLAUNCH™ is the Company’s air-launch program, with STARLAUNCH™ 1 serving as its initial suborbital development vehicle.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Starfighters has finalized the STARLAUNCH™ 1 airframe design and has ordered the flight hardware from Italian engineering company Robby Moto Engineering S.R.L. (“RME”). The December flight would be conducted between Starfighters’ base at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and the FAA-licensed Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, expecting to provide a demonstration of the rocket’s flight characteristics while also allowing the Company to test aircraft integration and establish procedures for future STARLAUNCH™ missions.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againWith STARLAUNCH™ 1 attached under one wing, the flight may provide an opportunity to fly the Company’s recently-completed Wind Tunnel in the Sky™ hardware under the other wing on a customer-funded rideshare mission, while also serving as a counterweight to improve aerodynamic stability.“The planned captive-carry flight would move STARLAUNCH™ 1 from design and ground-based development into flight testing,” said Tim Franta, CEO of Starfighters Space. “Our approach is deliberately incremental: build the hardware, integrate it with the aircraft, fly it, collect data, and use those results to advance toward separation and powered flight. This work on STARLAUNCH™ 1 is also expected to generate engineering and operational experience to inform the future development of STARLAUNCH™ 2.”After receiving the inert flight hardware in November at the Company’s Kennedy Space Center hangar, the Starfighters team will assemble and test the rocket-aircraft interface ahead of the flight test. The STARLAUNCH™ 1 and Wind Tunnel in the Sky™ hardware share some common components and interchangeable systems, allowing standard practices for integration with the aircraft.Data and experience from the December flight will also support work by Starfighters’ propulsion partner, Vaya Defense & Space, in their development of a hybrid rocket motor aligned with the STARLAUNCH™ 1 flight-hardware specifications.“December’s captive-carry mission would essentially be step one of a multi-flight campaign, building processes for our launch team while capturing data for the FAA and the Space Force as we move toward propulsive air launch,” said Piercarlo Ciacchi, Director of Flight Operations and Chief Pilot of Starfighters Space. “Our plan is to follow the December mission with a drop test over the Atlantic Ocean followed by a demonstration of the integrated propulsion system. Development of STARLAUNCH™ 2 would be informed by these missions, concurrent with the STARLAUNCH™ 1 development.”This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.About Starfighters Space, Inc.(NYSE American: FJET) operates its fleet of F-104 aircraft at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, making it the only company in the world with the commercial capability to fly at sustained Mach 2+ speeds, supporting a variety of aerospace applications. The iconic F-104 jets are configurable as a platform for air-launched payloads, training for pilots, and to support RDT&E (Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation) for hypersonic technologies, advanced materials, missile defense systems, microgravity science, spaceflight hardware validation, and defense electronic systems.Forward-Looking Statements:Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially due to risks and uncertainties affecting the Company’s business, including those described in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the SEC, available at . All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and are made as of the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.View source version on businesswire.com: This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.