Stratolaunch Systems is planning to conduct the first flight of the largest airplane in the world by wingspan (128 metres) sometime this summer, the company announced at the 34th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs on 16 April. The company said after three more taxi tests, a maiden flight of the aircraft will be carried out. During the most recent test, the plane reached speeds of up to 74 kilometers per hour. The next test will reach speeds of nearly 130 kilometers per hour, with later tests going up to 220 kilometers per hour.

Utilizing six Boeing 747 engines and an operational range of approximately 2,000 nautical miles, Stratolaunch is capable of delivering payloads to multiple orbits and inclinations in a single mission.