Friday, May 31, 2019

Stratolaunch To Shut Down

Mojave-based space launch vehicle startup Stratolaunch Launch Systems, which was backed by late Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, is shutting its doors, according to a report on Friday from Reuters. The report--which cited "four people familiar with the matter"--said that Stratolaunch would close its operations. No reason for the shutdown was given. Stratolaunch just completed its very first, successful flight in April. The company's launch vehicle--the world's largest airplane--was designed to take small satellite payloads mounted on rockets into the upper atmosphere, and then release those rockets into orbit. The company's founder--Microsoft's Paul G. Alen--died in October of 2018