{"id":28684516,"date":"2026-10-19T07:31:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T05:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/?p=28684516"},"modified":"2026-10-19T14:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T12:00:26","slug":"starfighters-space-starlaunch-1-f-104-captive-carry-test-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/starfighters-space-starlaunch-1-f-104-captive-carry-test-december\/","title":{"rendered":"Starfighters Space to Captive-Carry Test Starlaunch 1 on an F-104 in December"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background 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Seventy-two years later, a small fleet of them in Florida is being turned into a launch platform. Starfighters Space, which operates the world&rsquo;s largest civil fleet of F-104s, has announced that it will fly its STARLAUNCH 1 rocket under the wing of one of its jets in December, in the first captive-carry test of its air-launch programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is what the company has announced, based on its press release of 13 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f5f5f5;border-left:4px solid #1a1a1a;padding:18px 22px;margin:24px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px\"><li><strong>Vehicle:<\/strong> STARLAUNCH 1, suborbital development vehicle for the air-launch programme<\/li><li><strong>Carrier aircraft:<\/strong> Lockheed F-104 Starfighter<\/li><li><strong>Test:<\/strong> Captive carry: the rocket stays attached to the wing for the whole flight<\/li><li><strong>When:<\/strong> Planned for December 2026<\/li><li><strong>Route:<\/strong> Between NASA Kennedy Space Center and Cecil Spaceport, Jacksonville, Florida<\/li><li><strong>Inert test article:<\/strong> Built by Robby Moto Engineering, Italy; due at the company&rsquo;s KSC hangar in November<\/li><li><strong>Planned propulsion:<\/strong> Hybrid rocket motor from Vaya Defense &amp; Space<\/li><li><strong>Company:<\/strong> Starfighters Space (NYSE American: FJET), founded 1995 by Rick Svetkoff in Clearwater, Florida<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What a Captive-Carry Flight Is<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a captive-carry test the rocket never leaves the aircraft. The inert STARLAUNCH 1 test article, with no live motor, will be mounted under one wing and flown from Kennedy Space Center to Cecil Spaceport near Jacksonville. The aim is to see how the shape behaves in real airflow: loads on the pylon, vibration, handling of the F-104 with an asymmetric store, and how the whole system holds up through take-off, cruise and landing. According to the company, the other wing may carry a separate rideshare payload for its &ldquo;Wind Tunnel in the Sky&rdquo; flight-test service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Our approach is deliberately incremental&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Tim Franta<\/strong> &mdash; Chief Executive Officer, Starfighters Space<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Road to an Air Launch<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Captive carry is the first rung on a ladder. Next comes a drop test over the Atlantic, in which the inert vehicle is released from the jet to check that it separates cleanly. Then the company plans to integrate the propulsion system, a hybrid rocket motor supplied by Vaya Defense &amp; Space, before attempting a powered air launch. Each step depends on the results of the one before, and the company has not set dates beyond December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;step one of a multi-flight campaign&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Piercarlo Ciacchi<\/strong> &mdash; Director of Flight Operations and Chief Pilot, Starfighters Space<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why an F-104?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air launch is not new. Pegasus rockets have been dropped from a Lockheed L-1011 since the 1990s, and we tell that story in our post on the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/stargazer-l-1011-tristar-pegasus-last-flying-swift-boost-2026\/\">Stargazer<\/a>. Launching from an aircraft lets a rocket start above the densest part of the atmosphere, already moving, and from a position chosen for the mission rather than a fixed pad. A fast, high-flying jet takes that further. The F-104 was built to climb quickly and fly at twice the speed of sound, which is exactly what a small air-launched rocket wants from its first stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/starfighters-cf-104-starfighter-florida-1024x649.jpg\" alt=\"CF-104 Starfighter of the Starfighters civil F-104 fleet\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A CF-104 of the Starfighters fleet. Photo: TMWolf, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Fly the Florida Starfighters<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Florida Starfighters are not only test aircraft. The fleet, based at Kennedy Space Center and Midland, Texas, includes two-seat TF-104G-M and CF-104D Starfighters, and those two-seaters are also available for flights for pilots with MiGFlug. If you want to experience the jet the Germans nicknamed the &ldquo;Widowmaker&rdquo; from the back seat, see our <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/flights-prices\/f104-starfighter-flight\/\">F-104 Starfighter flight<\/a>. The aircraft&rsquo;s reputation, and what lay behind it, is covered in <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-f-104-starfighter-how-germany-turned-a-masterpiece-into-the-widowmaker\/\">our Widowmaker story<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What December&rsquo;s Flight Will Not Do<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The December flight will not launch anything. The rocket is an inert test article and stays on the wing; a drop test and a powered launch are later steps that have not yet been scheduled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sources: Starfighters Space press release via Business Wire, 13 October 2026; Starfighters Space company information; Northrop Grumman, Pegasus launch vehicle; Lockheed Martin, F-104 Starfighter history.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is Starlaunch 1?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">STARLAUNCH 1 is the suborbital development vehicle for Starfighters Space&rsquo;s air-launch programme, in which a rocket is carried and eventually launched from an F-104 Starfighter. The inert test article is being built by Robby Moto Engineering in Italy.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When will Starlaunch 1 fly on an F-104?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Starfighters Space plans the first captive-carry flight of STARLAUNCH 1 in December 2026, between NASA Kennedy Space Center and Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida. The rocket will stay attached to the F-104&rsquo;s wing for the whole flight.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a captive-carry test?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">In a captive-carry test, a rocket or store is flown attached to an aircraft without being released. It checks loads, vibration, aircraft handling and the behaviour of the store in real airflow before any drop test or launch.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Will the F-104 launch a rocket in December?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">No. The December flight of STARLAUNCH 1 is a captive-carry test with an inert vehicle. Starfighters Space plans a drop test over the Atlantic next, then integration of a hybrid rocket motor from Vaya Defense &amp; Space, before a powered air launch.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why launch rockets from an F-104?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Launching from a fast, high-flying aircraft lets a rocket start above the densest part of the atmosphere, already moving, and from a location chosen for the mission. The F-104 Starfighter was designed to climb quickly and fly at Mach 2.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Can you fly in an F-104 Starfighter?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. The Florida-based Starfighters fleet includes two-seat TF-104G-M and CF-104D Starfighters, which are also available for flights for pilots with MiGFlug. Details are on the MiGFlug <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/flights-prices\/f104-starfighter-flight\/\">F-104 Starfighter flight<\/a> page.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is Starlaunch 1?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"STARLAUNCH 1 is the suborbital development vehicle for Starfighters Space\u2019s air-launch programme, in which a rocket is carried and eventually launched from an F-104 Starfighter. The inert test article is being built by Robby Moto Engineering in Italy.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When will Starlaunch 1 fly on an F-104?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Starfighters Space plans the first captive-carry flight of STARLAUNCH 1 in December 2026, between NASA Kennedy Space Center and Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida. 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Details are on the MiGFlug F-104 Starfighter flight page.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-f-104-starfighter-how-germany-turned-a-masterpiece-into-the-widowmaker\/\">The F-104 Starfighter: How Germany Turned a Masterpiece Into the Widowmaker<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/stargazer-l-1011-tristar-pegasus-last-flying-swift-boost-2026\/\">Stargazer: The Last Flying L-1011 TriStar Still Launches Rockets<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Florida-based fleet of F-104 Starfighters is preparing to carry a rocket under its wing. In December, Starfighters Space plans the first captive-carry flight of its Starlaunch 1 development vehicle between Kennedy Space Center and Cecil Spaceport.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":28684335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28684516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Starlaunch 1: F-104 Captive-Carry Rocket Test in December | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Starfighters Space plans to fly its Starlaunch 1 rocket under the wing of an F-104 in December, the first step towards air-launching small payloads from a Mach 2 jet.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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