Starfighters Space Sets Design Review in Two Weeks After Wind Tunnel Success
Starfighters Space will enter a Critical Design Review within two weeks for its STARLAUNCH I rocket after completing wind tunnel tests that confirmed clean separation behavior. The company said GE Aerospace support will sharpen execution discipline and accelerate risk reduction ahead of build and test planning.
1. Program Milestone
Starfighters Space announced it will conduct a Critical Design Review for its STARLAUNCH I demonstrator vehicle within the next two weeks. This review serves as the gateway to detailed build and test planning by evaluating design readiness and interface control.
2. Wind Tunnel Validation
Recent wind tunnel experiments confirmed clean separation dynamics between the underwing demonstrator and launch aircraft, matching computational models across tested conditions. The company cited these results as an early risk-reduction milestone for its air-launch approach.
3. GE Aerospace Support
GE Aerospace has provided engineering and flight-test expertise during the STARLAUNCH program and will support the upcoming design review. Starfighters said GE participation is expected to enhance execution discipline and speed risk mitigation ahead of fabrication decisions.
4. Next Steps and Timeline
Starfighters has begun procuring an instrumented demonstrator vehicle for underwing drop tests and flight evaluations. Following the design review, the company plans ground integration checks, drop testing, and subsequent flight-relevant validations.