Unprecedented Achievement: World’s Largest Aircraft Concludes Groundbreaking Six-Hour Test Flight

The World’s Largest Aircraft Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight

The Stratolaunch Roc, often referred to as “Roc,” achieved a remarkable milestone by completing a record-breaking test flight above the Mojave Desert in California.

The Stratolaunch Roc, or simply “Roc,” took off from Mojave Air and Space Port and landed at the same site six hours later at 5:51 pm, as per Intercontinental Engineering.

The plane reached a maximum altitude of 22,500 feet (6,860 meters), according to a representative for Stratolaunch.

The Independent reported that Roc has a wingspan of 117 meters, surpassing the wingspan of even the Antonov An-225 Mriya, which stands at 88.4 meters.

The aircraft is designed to carry and launch hypersonic vehicles and is capable of lifting around 220 tons.

In addition, the Stratolaunch Roc is powered by six Boeing 747 engines.

This flight marked the ninth time the plane has taken to the skies, following its first flight in April 2019 and lasting 150 minutes, reaching a maximum speed of 175 miles per hour and a peak altitude of 15,000 feet (4572 meters), according to Space.com.

Lead test pilot Evan Thomas said the flight met all of the company’s expectations. He stated, “The flight itself was smooth, which is exactly what you want a first flight to be.”

Thomas added, “It allowed very much like we had simulated and predicted.”

The company hopes that one day, their massive aircraft will be accessible to customers for easy and cost-effective transportation to space, similar to what Virgin Orbit envisions.

The private space company was launched in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

It was created to develop a new air-launched space transportation system, with its corporate headquarters located in Seattle, Washington.

Hits: 307