Starfighters Space (NYSE American: FJET) is developing a STARLAUNCH system that uses F-104 supersonic fighter jets as reusable airborne launch platforms to carry payloads and launch vehicles to high altitude before release, positioning itself as a low-cost, responsive alternative to conventional ground-launched rockets. The small-satellite launch market is projected to exceed $69 billion by 2030, according to consulting and market-research firm Frost and Sullivan.
Air-Launch Approach
The company operates a fleet of F-104 Starfighter jets originally built for speed, capable of sustained Mach 2 flight—roughly twice the speed of sound. In a recent broadcast interview with WESH 2 News, CEO Tim Franta described taking the aircraft up to Mach 2.02. The company says its jets can lift payloads toward roughly 45,000 feet for air launch to space, giving the rocket a running start that ground launches cannot match.
CEO's Vision
Franta, a Brevard County native and former chief of staff of the Florida Space Authority, was appointed CEO in 2026 after serving as Starfighters' Vice President of Development since 2022. He framed the company's business model in relatable terms: “Elon and Blue Origin, they’re trucking companies,” Franta said in the interview. “Think of us not even as Uber, but Uber Eats. We’re delivering something very small to a specific spot and trying to do it inexpensively.”
Operational History and Location
Starfighters operates from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, landing on the same runway once used by the Space Shuttle. The company says it has more than 20 years of flight operations behind the platform. Franta’s personal connection to the Space Coast runs deep: “I was born about eight miles that way,” he said. “My mother was a switchboard operator that did a lot of calls for the Space Center. And my uncle was the launch director for the Atlas Centaur.” He noted that he built the company’s hangar more than two decades ago while working in Florida’s space sector, calling his return to the business “very full circle.”
Market and Future Milestones
The company is working to attract investors to fund next milestones, including a drop test and, ultimately, placing satellites and other payloads into low Earth orbit. Starfighters works with space and defense customers. The logic behind air launch is straightforward: rather than igniting a large rocket at ground level and fighting through the densest part of the atmosphere from a standing start, the F-104 fleet serves as a reusable airborne launch platform, carrying a payload and its launch vehicle to high altitude and high speed before release.
