At Stratolaunch’s facility at California’s Mojave Air and Space Port (KMHV), engineers, technicians, and flight crews are preparing the world’s largest airplane for its next test flight. Here are a few key facts and figures highlighting the one-of-a-kind air-to-launch carrier airplane known as Roc.
Stratolaunch’s Roc, the world’s largest airplane by wingspan, now includes a new pylon on its center wing. [Courtesy: Stratolaunch]
Key Takeaways:
Stratolaunch's Roc, the world's largest airplane by wingspan, is preparing for its fifth test flight with a newly installed center-wing pylon.
This pylon is crucial for Roc's business model, designed to securely carry and release uncrewed, rocket-powered, hypersonic testbeds at approximately 35,000 feet.
The twin-fuselage aircraft features a record-breaking 385-foot wingspan and utilizes many components, such as its six engines and eight landing gear, sourced from retired Boeing 747-400s.
At Stratolaunch’s facility at California’s Mojave Air and Space Port (KMHV), engineers, technicians, and flight crews are preparing the world’s largest airplane for its fifth test flight.
Roc, the twin-fuselage behemoth with a wingspan longer than an NFL football field, will have a new piece of equipment on board: a custom pylon attached to the airplane’s center wing.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
