Starfighters Space Prepares Suborbital Test Flight at Kennedy Space Center
What happened
Starfighters Space is preparing a captive-carry test flight of its Starlaunch 1 suborbital vehicle in December 2026, using an F-104 Starfighter aircraft. The company ordered inert flight hardware from Robby Moto Engineering, which is expected to arrive at Kennedy Space Center in November for assembly and interface testing before the planned flight. This mission requires licensing from the Federal Aviation Administration.
From theaviationist.com
Why it matters
The preparation and execution of this flight test mark a transition for Starlaunch 1 from ground-based design into flight testing. The work involves integrating specialized hardware with a carrier aircraft, advancing the vehicle's operational capabilities.
From theaviationist.com
Who's involved
- Federal Aviation AdministrationU.S. government agency that licensed the specific flight mission
- Kennedy Space CenterUS space launch site where the vehicle will be assembled and tested
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- Kennedy Space CenterSpeculative
Kennedy Space Center might receive service revenue for the assembly and testing of the Starlaunch 1 vehicle.
Keep exploring
The entities involved
-
Federal Aviation Administration
U.S. government agency regulating civil aviation
-
Kennedy Space Center
US space launch site in Florida