Starfighters and GE Progress STARLAUNCH Platform
Starfighters Space and GE Aerospace undergo critical design review of STARLAUNCH I
Starfighters Space, Inc. ("Starfighters" or the "Company") (NYSE:FJET), the aerospace company, owner and operator of the world's largest fleet of commercial supersonic aircraft, announced today that, after successful wind tunnel testing of the STARLAUNCH I rocket design, it is moving forward to Critical Design Review ("CDR") with support from GE Aerospace. The CDR is intended to confirm design maturity and support the program's transition into its next phase of build and test planning.
Key Takeaways
- Starfighters and GE Aerospace are undergoing a Critical Design Review for STARLAUNCH 1 in the next two weeks of its demonstrator vehicle.
- The review builds on STARLAUNCH 1 wind tunnel testing that validated clean separation from Starfighters' aircraft platform.
- The Company continues its stepwise program execution toward its goal of launching payloads to space.
The planned review follows Starfighters' recently announced completion of subsonic and supersonic wind tunnel testing for STARLAUNCH 1, which demonstrated clean separation behavior across tested flight conditions and correlated well with the Company's computational models. Starfighters has also initiated procurement of instrumented demonstrator vehicle to be flown underwing to further evaluate separation dynamics under flight conditions.
In aerospace development, a CDR is a structured program milestone used to provide a detailed, integrated review of a system's design before proceeding into full-scale fabrication, integration, and formal test execution. A typical CDR process reviews the design baseline, interfaces, verification plans, and key risks, and provides management and engineering leadership with a basis to authorize the next stage of program execution.
Starfighters expects the STARLAUNCH 1 CDR to evaluate design documentation and analysis for the vehicle and its interfaces with the carrier aircraft, with a focus on configuration control, manufacturability, and test readiness. The review is also expected to address verification plans, including the sequence from ground validation through drop testing and subsequent flight evaluation.
GE Aerospace has supported Starfighters' STARLAUNCH development through prior engineering work and flight test activities, and the Company plans to leverage GE Aerospace participation in the upcoming review to strengthen program discipline and accelerate risk reduction.
"We execute STARLAUNCH as a series of practical, documented steps to space," said Tim Franta, Director and VP Development at Starfighters. "A critical design review is where we confirm that the design is ready for the next phase. Our team is dedicated and focused on the mission, and we are staying disciplined as we progress STARLAUNCH 1."
STARLAUNCH 1 is being developed as a sub-orbital vehicle designed to support short-duration microgravity missions and serves as a pathfinder for future air-launched concepts. In parallel, Starfighters' validated separation work supports its broader aerospace testing services, including programs where clean separation is required for advanced and hypersonic vehicle testing.
About Starfighters Space, Inc.
Starfighters Space, Inc. is the only commercial company in the world with the ability to fly payloads at sustained MACH 2+ and with the capability to launch those payloads to space. Starfighters Space is an organization committed to participating in high-demand commercial space activities.
Located at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Company operates a growing fleet of modified supersonic aircraft operationally configurable to act as the first stage lifting platform to carry payloads up to 45,000 feet for air launch to space. Additional activities include support research, pilot training, space flight training, and advanced scientific efforts including hypersonic testing as part of air launch partner development programs.
For more information about Starfighters Space, Inc. please visit: https://starfightersspace.com/.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States securities laws. These statements relate to analysis and other information that are based on forecasts or future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management.
Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements".
We have based these forward-looking statements on information currently available to the Company, assumptions the Company believes are reasonable and our current expectations about future events or performance. While we believe these expectations are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control.
Our actual future results may differ materially from those discussed or implied in our forward-looking statements for various reasons.
Factors that could contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the ability to obtain the necessary permits and approvals to operate, the Company's ability to develop new products and/or services, the approval of the Company's application for a launch license and the timing thereof, the Company's expansion to Midland, Texas, the adoption by the market of the Company's method of satellite deployment, the Company's continued business arrangements, market trends and competition in the Company's industry, the future diversification of the Company's revenue streams and the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, and other factors discussed in the Company's filings with the Commission.
Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurances that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effect on, the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made only as of the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy the Company's securities.
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