April 15th, 2019 | Updated on June 25th, 2022
On April 13, the world’s largest airplane, made its first test flight. The massive airplane, developed by Stratolaunch, has a bigger than football field wingspan. In its first test, it achieved a maximum speed of 189 miles per hours.
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The plane, named Roc, remained in the air for 2.5 hours, giving pilot enough time to evaluate its performance and handling. Finally, it landed at Mojave Air and Space Port, California.
The wild blue yonder just got a little more wild! #Stratolaunch @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/hC2I5WZjFS
— D. Stamos/Helodriver (@SpacecoastPix) April 13, 2019
Mojave-based aerospace company Scaled Composites have built this plane for Stratolaunch. The plane is intended to be used for launching rocket into orbit from high altitude.
The plane featuring twin fuselages and six jet engines, can fly satellite-carrying rockets to an altitude of about 35,000 feet.
At Mojave Air and Spaceport this morning once again hoping to catch the first flight of the world’s largest plane. Roc, as the aircraft is known, is now sitting at the end of runway 30 poised to make aviation history. @Stratolaunch @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/ViFMoJfs8b
— Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) April 13, 2019
Though, Stratolaunch described it as the world’s largest plane, but its nose-to-tail length is not the longest in the world. Its nose to length is just 73 meters, while wingspan is 117 meters long. Its wingspan is really the world’s largest.
Roc spreads her wings and the worlds largest airplane tastes the air for the first time! #Stratolaunch @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/albte00Vbg
— D. Stamos/Helodriver (@SpacecoastPix) April 13, 2019
In 2011, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen set up Stratolaunch. Stratolaunch aims to “make access to orbit as routine as catching a commercial airline flight is today” Click here for more important events in air history.
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