GE AerospaceStarfighters provides test support for GE Aerospace's ATLAS hypersonic igniter program
Starfighters Space CEO Tim Franta outlined the company's dual focus on hypersonic component testing and small-payload launch services in a recent Fighter Pilot Podcast interview. The company uses a fleet of seven F-104 aircraft as a 'wind tunnel in the sky' to provide sustained Mach 2 test conditions for hypersonic program components, offering longer test durations than ground wind tunnels. Its launch business aims to use the F-104 as an airborne first stage for the planned STARLAUNCH 1 suborbital rocket targeting 100 kilometers and a future STARLAUNCH 2 orbital system, targeting the small-satellite market. Franta emphasized a safety-first, high-cadence approach modeled on operators like SpaceX and Rocket Lab, while acknowledging regulatory and financing hurdles ahead. The interview also noted Starfighters' test support for GE Aerospace's ATLAS hypersonic igniter program.
GE AerospaceStarfighters provides test support for GE Aerospace's ATLAS hypersonic igniter program
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Starfighters Space, Inc.CEO details hypersonic testing and small-payload launch strategy, targeting small-satellite market