Mentioned:Starfighters SpaceRobby Moto EngineeringVaya Defense & Space
Starfighters Space will conduct a captive-carry flight test of Starlaunch 1 aboard an F-104 Starfighter in December 2026. The mission marks the transition from ground-based development to flight testing after wind tunnel validation earlier in 2026.
What's happening
- Starlaunch 1 airframe design was finalized on October 13, 2026, with flight hardware ordered from Robby Moto Engineering.
- Hardware will arrive at Kennedy Space Center in November 2026 for assembly and aircraft integration ahead of the December flight.
- The captive-carry test will keep Starlaunch 1 attached to the F-104 wing throughout the mission without release or powered flight.
- The multi-flight campaign will include a drop test over the Atlantic Ocean and a propulsive demonstration with Vaya Defense & Space hybrid rocket motor.
Why it matters
- Air-launch capability reduces orbital access costs by using existing F-104 platforms at 45,000 feet and Mach 2 for satellite deployment.
- Starlaunch 1 will demonstrate suborbital flight to 100 kilometers, with Starlaunch 2 targeting low Earth orbit insertion.
- The 41,000 lbf thrust vehicle supports small satellite constellations with orbital inclinations from 0 to 120 degrees.
- Co-location with Vaya Defense & Space near Kennedy Space Center accelerates hybrid propulsion integration and testing.
Going deeper
- Starlaunch 1 design uses the proven envelope of the AIM120 AMRAAM missile platform.
- Wind Tunnel in the Sky payload sharing the same underwing station will provide aerodynamic counterbalance on customer-funded rideshare missions.
- Vaya's hybrid rocket technology is throttleable, restartable, and non-explosive, reducing launch containment risks from traditional solid motors.
- Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2026 establishes collaboration on propulsion assessment and hypersonic test article flights.
Source: theaviationist.com · Oct 17, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.
