The Stratolaunch plane is pushed out of the hanger for the first time in the Mojave desert, California on May 31, 2017. A colossal rocket-launching plane touted as the future of space travel is closer to testing, having been rolled out of a hangar in the desert, its creators said. The project backed by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has been proceeding for about six years and was on track for its first launch demonstration as early at 2019, Stratolaunch Systems Corporation chief executive Jean Floyd said in a blog post. Read more
New giant plane to launch people, cargo into orbit
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan announced today theyre building a giant airplane and spaceship to zip people and cargo into orbit. But unlike traditional rockets and government spaceships, this new commercial spaceship will drop from a high-flying airplane instead of blasting off from a launch pad. Read more