Scaled Composites Stratolaunch
Scaled Composites · United States · first flew 2019 · transport aircraft
The Stratolaunch is the world's largest aircraft by wingspan, featuring a unique twin-fuselage design intended to air-launch orbital rockets. Built by Scaled Composites for Stratolaunch Systems, it made its first flight in April 2019.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Twin-fuselage catamaran configuration with central wing |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- World's largest aircraft by wingspan at 117 m
- Twin-fuselage catamaran configuration with central wing
- Air-launch carrier platform for rockets — six Pratt & Whitney engines (capped display at 4)
Utterly unmistakable: enormous twin fuselages joined by a single massive wing, six turbofan engines, and a massive central carry pylon. No other aircraft shares this twin-fuselage catamaran configuration at this scale.
Specifications
- The Scaled Composites Stratolaunch has a length of 72.5 m (238 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 117 m (384 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 853 km/h (530 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Conceived by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the Stratolaunch was designed to carry rockets between its twin fuselages and release them at altitude, enabling flexible orbital launches without ground infrastructure dependency. It flew its maiden flight on 13 April 2019 from Mojave Air and Space Port. Following Allen's death in 2018, the program continued under new ownership and the aircraft has gone on to conduct multiple test flights.
Variants
Only one aircraft was built; it has been evaluated as a platform for hypersonic test vehicles in addition to the original orbital rocket launch role.
Where you'll see it
Operated by Stratolaunch, LLC from Mojave, California, primarily as a flight-test and air-launch platform. No regular commercial launches had been completed as of the mid-2020s.
Related aircraft
- Scaled Composites Model 401
- Scaled Composites White Knight Two
- Scaled Composites GlobalFlyer
- Scaled Composites Proteus
- Boeing MQ-25 Stingray
- Il-112
- Windracers Ultra
- Airbus A330-700L BelugaXL
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.