How did I/we miss this??

El Gigantico...

The Plane:

Saw a few reports about it and finally today some videos showed up

I saw a picture of it the other day but was then distracted by a cat video. I need to sus this rig out, guessing it's built for high altitudes?

From the bit I've read it goes way up in the atmosphere and launches satellites

I was of the understanding it was built to launch tourists into sub-orbital space, as well as to be used later as a cheaper alternative for light, low Earth orbit satellites.

"I thought it was a round-trip ticket. Get my travel agent on the phone!!"

https://www.space.com/stratolaunch-flies-worlds-largest-plane-first-time.html

Think it's going to do both...launch sattelites and take tourists to the edge of space..Got to turn a profit somehow

A guy I follow on Instagram got video of it taking off, thing is a beast!

Head on, while taking off, it is one of the most bizarre looking a/c I have ever seen.

Fuel flow must be scary....

2nd flight yesterday. That's a big ugly aircraft !! It's crazy it's able to leave the ground and fly.

https://www.space.com/stratolaunch-worlds-largest-airplane-roc-2nd-test-flight

Takeoff ~ 43:00
not landing ~ 3:35:00 (close approach to runway)
landing ~ 3:55:30





Reading that I am seeing a vision of tourists wearing no spacesuits being tossed out of the door of this giant aircraft:

thank you for choosing Stratolaunch spaceline, the $100000 you paid to ride does not include a spacesuit. Now GTFO !!