CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Starfighters Space Inc. has completed wind tunnel testing for its STARLAUNCH 1 air-launched rocket, marking a technical milestone in the company’s air-launch development program. The test campaign evaluated the separation of the STARLAUNCH 1 vehicle from Starfighters’ carrier aircraft under subsonic and supersonic conditions.
Using a combination of computational fluid dynamics analysis and experimental wind tunnel testing, the company assessed separation behavior at Mach 0.85 and Mach 1.3. Across all test conditions, the company reported clean separation with no adverse aerodynamic interactions observed.
"Demonstrating clean, predictable separation across these flight regimes is a foundational requirement for an air-launched system," said Rick Svetkoff, chief executive officer of Starfighters. "The close alignment between our simulations and the wind tunnel results gives us confidence in the underlying design and allows us to proceed methodically to the next phase of testing."
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The wind tunnel campaign included 10 test runs conducted at both subsonic and supersonic speeds. According to the company, measured forces and moments agreed well with computational predictions, validating Starfighters’ aerodynamic models and separation simulations.
Testing was conducted at the FAMU-FSU Joint College of Engineering Polysonic Wind Tunnel. The correlation between simulation and experimental data is intended to reduce program risk as STARLAUNCH 1 transitions from analytical validation to physical test articles.
Based on the completed testing, Starfighters has initiated procurement of instrumented drop test articles. These articles will be used to evaluate separation dynamics under flight conditions and will incorporate onboard sensors and telemetry systems.
STARLAUNCH 1 details
STARLAUNCH 1 is being developed as a suborbital vehicle designed to support short-duration microgravity missions and to serve as a pathfinder for future air-launched launch concepts. The validated separation work also supports Starfighters’ broader aerospace testing services, including programs requiring clean separation for advanced and hypersonic vehicle testing.
Starfighters Space Inc. operates a fleet of modified supersonic aircraft based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The company provides aerospace testing, pilot and spaceflight training, and air-launch services, including payload flights at sustained Mach 2-plus and air-launch operations to approximately 45,000 feet.
