Stargazer L-1011

aerospace air launch air-launch to orbit Northrop Grumman Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket small satellite launch spaceflight Virgin Orbit

Cleared Direct Aug 18, 2026

Pegasus and the Stargazer, the L Ten Eleven Airliner That Drops a Rocket Off Its Belly to Reach Orbit

Radio Hangar explores Pegasus and the Stargazer, the L Ten Eleven Airliner That Drops a Rocket Off Its Belly to Reach Orbit.

Vector

Cleared Direct Aug 2, 2026

Air-Launch to Orbit, the Stargazer L-1011 and Pegasus, and Why a Rocket Dropped From a Jet Gets Altitude for Free but Still Has to Earn Every Bit of Its Speed

Air-launch drops a rocket from a jet at 40,000 feet to skip thick air - but orbit is a speed problem, and that's why the idea stalled.

Vector