STARLAUNCH
An air-launch program that carries a small rocket under the wing of a supersonic F-104 jet. The first vehicle, STARLAUNCH 1, is a suborbital test rocket with a captive-carry flight planned for December 2026.
Why it matters
Launching from a fast, high-flying jet means a rocket can be smaller and can fly from ordinary runways rather than fixed pads. The first step is suborbital microgravity and test flights; orbit would need a much larger effort.
How the technology works
An F-104 climbs to about 45,000 feet carrying the rocket under one wing. STARLAUNCH 1 uses flight hardware ordered from Robby Moto Engineering and a hybrid motor being developed with Vaya Defense and Space.
Plans call for a captive-carry flight between Kennedy Space Center and Cecil Spaceport, then a drop test over the Atlantic and a powered demonstration. The FAA launch license is still in process.