For decades, getting to space has largely meant one thing: launching vertically atop massive rockets from fixed launch pads. But what if the future of space access also includes aircraft capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, launching payloads from the edge of the atmosphere, and providing researchers with affordable access to hypersonic flight and microgravity?
Joining us today is Tim Franta, Chief Executive Officer of Starfighters Space ( https://starfightersspace.com/ ), an aerospace company operating the world's only commercial fleet of flight-ready Mach 2+ F-104 Starfighters. Based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the company is building capabilities that span hypersonic flight testing, airborne research, astronaut and pilot training, and an ambitious air-launch platform known as STARLAUNCH, designed to provide more flexible and responsive access to space.
Tim brings an unusual blend of aerospace leadership, public policy, infrastructure development, and strategic finance. Before leading Starfighters Space, he helped shape Florida's modern space ecosystem through leadership roles with Energy Florida and the Florida Space Authority, where he worked on launch infrastructure, legislation, and hundreds of millions of dollars in space-related investment.
Today we'll discuss why aircraft may become an increasingly important part of the space economy, how commercial innovation is changing access to orbit, the growing importance of hypersonic technologies, and what the next decade of aerospace infrastructure might look like.
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