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Space

Stratolaunch Begins Engine Tests On Satellite-Launching Airplane

By Marc Selinger

Thursday, September 21st, 2017

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Stratolaunch Begins Engine Tests On Satellite-Launching Airplane

Concept of Stratolaunch's carrier aircraft. Photo: Stratolaunch.

Stratolaunch Systems, which is developing an extra-large airplane to launch small satellites into space, has begun engine testing on the aircraft, the company announced Sept. 19.During the initial tests, the company started all six engines, first with auxiliary power, then with fuel. Made by Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (UTX), the PW4056 engines performed as expected, taking the "aircraft one step closer to providing convenient, reliable and routine access to low Earth orbit," said Jean Floyd, Stratolaunch's…

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