Starfighters Space operates the world’s only commercial fleet of supersonic F‑104 aircraft that can air‑launch payloads from about 45,000 ft at Mach 2, providing on‑demand sub‑orbital and low‑Earth‑orbit services for small satellites and experimental payloads. By leveraging a reusable under‑wing rocket architecture, domestic launch facilities at Kennedy Space Center, and end‑to‑end mission support, the company offers faster scheduling, lower cost per kilogram, and flexible launch windows for commercial, defense, and research customers.
Funding
$3.6M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Commercial small‑sat launch providers often rely on ground‑based rockets or rideshare slots that are subject to long scheduling delays, high costs, and limited launch frequency, constraining rapid deployment of payloads for both commercial and defense customers.
Solution
Starfighters Space operates the world’s only commercial fleet of supersonic F‑104 aircraft capable of sustained Mach 2 flight and air‑launching payloads from approximately 45,000 ft. The company’s STARLAUNCH program uses a proven under‑wing rocket architecture to deliver sub‑orbital and low‑Earth‑orbit missions for small satellites and experimental payloads. By locating operations at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and leveraging U.S. launch‑site licensing, Starfighters provides on‑demand launch windows, domestic range priority, and end‑to‑end mission support—including payload integration, flight testing, and regulatory compliance. The reusable aircraft platform reduces launch cost per kilogram and enables rapid turnaround between missions, offering a flexible alternative to traditional ground‑launch services.
Target Audience
Primary customers are commercial satellite operators, defense agencies, and research institutions requiring low‑cost, rapid access to sub‑orbital or low‑Earth‑orbit trajectories for small payloads.
Features
- Fleet of seven modified F‑104 fighter jets, the only commercial supersonic aircraft capable of Mach 2 air‑launch operations
- STARLAUNCH 1: reusable, under‑wing rocket delivering sub‑orbital micro‑gravity missions and small‑sat deployments up to ~100 km altitude
- STARLAUNCH 2: next‑generation, higher‑thrust rocket designed for low‑Earth‑orbit insertion (~160 km) with multiple payload capability
- Integrated launch services covering mission design, systems engineering, range integration, and FAA/FAA licensing support
- Domestic launch site at Kennedy Space Center provides airspace priority, environmental and safety oversight, and rapid launch scheduling
- Additional revenue capabilities including hypersonic R&D, microgravity experiments, supersonic/hypersonic testing, and advanced pilot training on the F‑104 platform