Stratolaunch uses retired widebody as hypersonic testbed carrier
Stratolaunch Systems operates a retired widebody airliner as a carrier aircraft for hypersonic testing, a role the company says costs less than building a new hypersonic carrier.
Stratolaunch Systems flies a retired widebody airliner to carry hypersonic test vehicles. The company says that approach costs less than building a dedicated hypersonic carrier.
The firm is best known for the Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch, called Roc. The twin-fuselage testbed holds the record for the largest wingspan of any aircraft. Built to carry air-launch-to-orbit rockets, it now supports hypersonic testing and has flown 25 times since entering service in 2019.
Roc is not the company's only aircraft.
Sources
- simpleflying.comThe Retired Widebody Airliner Now Cheaper Than Building A New Hypersonic Carrier Aircraft