![\"roc](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/stratolaunch_first_flight-e1555183565927.jpg\")
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The aerospace venture Stratolaunch sent the world\u2019s largest airplane into the air today for its first flight test. <\/p>\n
The twin-fuselage plane, incorporating parts from two Boeing 747 jumbo jets, has a world-record wingspan of 385 feet. It took off today from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California for a flight that lasted over two hours.<\/p>\n
For over seven years, Stratolaunch has been working with Mojave-based Scaled Composites on a project which will use the plane as a flying launch pad for orbital-class rockets. The first flight test had been anticipated for months.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe finally did it,\u201d Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd said today during a briefing.<\/p>\n
Stratolaunch\u2019s plane, which has been nicknamed Roc after a giant mythical bird, took off at 6:58 a.m. PT and went through a series of in-flight maneuvers, including roll doublets, yawing maneuvers, pushovers and pull-ups, steady heading side slips and simulated landing approach exercises. Stratolaunch said it reached a maximum speed of 189 mph and maximum altitude of 17,000 feet.<\/p>\n
The plane \u201cflew much as we expected,\u201d Scaled Composites test pilot Evan Thomas said. \u201cWe saw a few little things that were off-nominal, but really, for a first flight, it was spot-on,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Hat tip to our own Poetrooper for the link. More on the bird and eye-popping pics may be found here: The Drive<\/a><\/p>\n
Edit- Some good CGI on the aircraft launching a satellite into orbit. Space.com<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"