The world’s biggest aircraft made its maiden fly
How about taking a flight to place satellites into orbit and coming back?
Stratolaunch Systems Corporation, California based new-gen space company is all set to do that. On 13 April 2019, the company proved it with the successful first fight of a mammoth aircraft, The Stratolaunch. This aircraft is the world’s biggest all-composite aircraft.
The Stratolaunch has a wingspan of 385 feet, six Boeing 747 jet engines and it needs 12,000 feet long runway to takeoff. Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft has the wingspan of only 262 feet.
Airbus A380 
Stratolaunch
This mammoth gadget and the idea is the brainchild of late Paul G. Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. He founded Stratolaunch in 2011 to make space launch more reliable and affordable. He wanted to have a space port where one can book a satellite launch as convenient as booking a plane ticket.
Stratolaunch is founded by Paul G. Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft
Image: Wikimedia Commons
How it works?
The Stratolaunch consists of a center wing which can support multiple launch vehicles. The aircraft is designed to climbs for 35000 feet and hover there to launch rockets. This new approach to rocket launch can decrease the wait time as well as speed up the process of space exploration.
Written by M R Raghul
An engineer and a creative science communicator. Found his passion for science outreaches while traveling and interacting with kids.
Tech guy and the Co-founder of Sciteum!