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Stratolaunch moves closer to first flight
The Stratolaunch completes another major milestone at the Mojave Air and Space Port, as it speeds down the runway. Stratolaunch photographs
The world’s largest aircraft, the Stratolaunch, moved closer to Use your smartphone to connect to
making its first flight Feb. 24-25 as it completed another major our Website.
milestone.
At the Mojave Air and Space Port, the aircraft sped down the
runway at 40 knots (46mph) in its latest low-speed taxi test, firing
all six of its 8,940-pound engines.
In a written statement George Bugg, aircraft program manager
at Stratolaunch, said, “This was another exciting milestone for our
team and the program.
“Our crew was able to demonstrate ground directional control
with nose gear steering, and our brake systems were exercised
successfully on the runway.
“Our first low speed taxi test is a very important step toward
first flight. We are all proud and excited.â€
The Stratolaunch is expected to make its first flight in 2019, and,
once in service, will help to fire satellites and other objects into
space, including a ’Dream Chaser’ spaceship that could shuttle
astronauts or payloads to and from low Earth orbit within 24 hours.
The main purpose of the latest test was to put the aircraft’s abil-
ity to steer and stop through its paces.
A ground team from Stratolaunch Systems Corp monitored a
number of systems, including steering, braking, anti-skid and te-
lemetry.
See STRATOLAUNCH, Page 3
March 2, 2018 • Volume 32, Issue 3 Serving the aerospace industry since 1986
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