MOJAVE DESERT, CALIFORNIA — The world’s largest aircraft emerged from a hangar in the Mojave Desert, California at the end of May to begin fuel testing. <br /> <br />At 117 metres wide, the Stratolaunch plane is wider than a football field. The aircraft is designed to make air-rocket launches in low-Earth orbit conditions a routine commute. <br /> <br />It’s designed to carry spacebound rockets, with a payload of up to 275 tons, reports the Seattle Times. The Stratolaunch commences take off on a runway with a rocket attached to its belly. It was designed by Seattle-based firm Vulcan Aerospace. <br /> <br />According to the Seattle Times, the plane weighs around 250 tons with no payload. With fuel and a fully loaded rocket, the plane can fly with a maximum takeoff weight of 650 tons — around the same weight as an commercial Airbus A380 carrying 550 passengers. <br /> <br />The stratolaunch is manned by a three-person crew in the right fuselage, including a pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer. The left fuselage cockpit is designed to remain empty and is unpressurized. <br /> <br />The rocket is released after the plane reaches 35,000 feet. The rocket then fires its own engine and travels toward its orbit. <br /> <br />The Stratolaunch airplane is expected to make its first launch in 2019.
