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Captive carry flights mark critical milestone in advancing solid fuel ramjet technology. Photo via GE Aerospace
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Starfighters Space, Inc., the advanced aerospace firm that owns and operates the world’s largest commercially available fleet of supersonic aircraft, announced on January 21, that it has successfully concluded wind tunnel testing for its STARLAUNCH 1 system. This achievement marks a significant technical milestone in the Company’s air-launch rocket development program. The completed test series focused on evaluating the separation characteristics of the STARLAUNCH 1 vehicle from Starfighters’ carrier aircraft under both subsonic and supersonic flight regimes. The Company employed a blended approach combining computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling with physical wind tunnel experimentation to analyze separation performance at Mach 0.85 and Mach 1.3. Results across all scenarios demonstrated consistent, clean separation with no unfavorable aerodynamic interference.
Photo by Matt Haskell via Starfighters Aerospace
“Achieving reliable and repeatable separation across these operating conditions is a critical prerequisite for any air-launched platform,” said Rick Svetkoff, Chief Executive Officer of Starfighters. “The strong correlation between our analytical models and wind tunnel data reinforces confidence in the design and enables us to advance in a disciplined manner to subsequent testing phases.” The wind tunnel effort included ten completed test runs conducted at both subsonic and supersonic velocities. Measured aerodynamic forces and moments closely matched CFD forecasts, validating the accuracy of Starfighters’ aerodynamic modeling and separation analyses.
Photo by Matt Haskell via Starfighters Aerospace
All testing was performed at the FAMU/FSU Joint College of Engineering Polysonic Wind Tunnel. The close agreement between simulated and experimental results represents a meaningful reduction in technical risk as the STARLAUNCH 1 program progresses from analytical validation toward hardware-based testing. Following the successful conclusion of this phase, Starfighters has advanced the program by initiating procurement of instrumented drop-test articles. These units will be used to further study separation behavior in real flight environments and will be equipped with onboard instrumentation and telemetry to capture detailed performance data. STARLAUNCH 1 is under development as a suborbital platform intended to support brief-duration microgravity missions and to act as a proving ground for future air-launch systems. The validated separation data also enhances Starfighters’ broader aerospace testing offerings, including applications requiring precise separation dynamics for advanced and hypersonic vehicle evaluation.
Starfighters Aerospace’s TF-104G-M N991SA with CNR’s prototype rocket mounted on a pylon under the left wing. This test evaluated the test article’s mechanical and aeronautical properties to ensure that it is suitable for launch from the F-104 platform. image via Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy- Photo by L. Paciucci. )About Starfighters Space, Inc.
Starfighters Space, Inc. is the only commercial organization globally capable of operating sustained MACH 2+ flights while also offering payload launch capabilities to space. Headquartered at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Company maintains a growing fleet of modified supersonic aircraft that can be configured as first-stage air-launch platforms, capable of carrying payloads to altitudes of up to 45,000 feet. Beyond launch services, Starfighters supports aerospace research, pilot and spaceflight training, and advanced scientific initiatives, including hypersonic testing through partner development programs. The Company is focused on establishing itself as one of the most cost-efficient launch solutions in the commercial space sector. Additional information about Starfighters Space, Inc. is available at https://starfightersspace.com/.(image via Starfighters Aerospace)
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
