The world's largest aeroplane by wingspan has taken flight for the first time.
Built by Strato-launch, the company set up by the late Microsoft co‑founder Paul Allen in 2011, the aircraft is designed to act as a flying launch pad for satellites.
The world's largest plane, the six-engined Stratolaunch megajet, flew for the first time this morning https://t.co/NAdCnEnFIm pic.twitter.com/Pv8EDluaZZ
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 13, 2019
The idea is to fly the plane to 10km before releasing satellites into orbit.
Its 385 feet wingspan is the length of an American football field.
If successful, such a project would be a cheaper way to launch objects into space than rockets fired from the ground.
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