Starfighters Space Partners with Blackstar Orbital to Advance Hypersonic Testing
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2 days ago
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Should l Buy FJET?
Source: Newsfilter
- Defense Budget Surge: The U.S. Space Force's budget for FY2026 reaches approximately $40 billion, more than doubling from $15 billion in FY2021, reflecting urgent needs for hypersonic weapons and space infrastructure, which is expected to drive market opportunities for related companies.
- Strategic Partnership: On March 30, 2026, Starfighters Space announced a strategic partnership with Blackstar Orbital to advance the testing of reusable hypersonic space systems from simulation to real-world flight validation, enhancing its competitiveness in the defense market.
- Technological Advancements: The integration of Starfighters' F-104 aircraft with Blackstar's SpaceDrone aims for flight tests at speeds up to Mach 2, which, if successful, will provide the U.S. Space Force with rapid reconstitution and on-orbit flexibility capabilities, aligning with its core strategic needs.
- Market Opportunities: As the defense and commercial space sectors converge, Starfighters Space is well-positioned in a rapidly growing market due to its unique operational capabilities and government relationships, which are expected to attract more investment and secure key contracts.
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Analyst Views on FJET
About FJET
Starfighters Space, Inc. operates the commercial fleet of flight-ready F-104 supersonic aircraft (Lockheed F-104). The Lockheed F-104 is developed as a supersonic aircraft for the United States Armed Forces. Supersonic flights capable of flying at MACH 2 with air-launch rockets in development through the Starfighters STARLAUNCH program. The Lockheed F-104 also performed many safety chase missions in support of advanced research aircraft and provided a launch platform for sounding rockets. The Company organizes its services into various categories: historical services and new services. Its historical services include pilot and astronaut training, launch services and access to space, and in-flight testing. Its new services include launch services and access to space (commercial, academic, civil and government clients), and airborne testbed for hypersonic research and development (R&D) and test and evaluation (T&E) test bed (commercial, academic, civil and government).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Starfighters Space Partners with Blackstar Orbital to Advance Hypersonic Testing
- Defense Budget Surge: The U.S. Space Force's budget for FY2026 reaches approximately $40 billion, more than doubling from $15 billion in FY2021, reflecting urgent needs for hypersonic weapons and space infrastructure, which is expected to drive market opportunities for related companies.
- Strategic Partnership: On March 30, 2026, Starfighters Space announced a strategic partnership with Blackstar Orbital to advance the testing of reusable hypersonic space systems from simulation to real-world flight validation, enhancing its competitiveness in the defense market.
- Technological Advancements: The integration of Starfighters' F-104 aircraft with Blackstar's SpaceDrone aims for flight tests at speeds up to Mach 2, which, if successful, will provide the U.S. Space Force with rapid reconstitution and on-orbit flexibility capabilities, aligning with its core strategic needs.
- Market Opportunities: As the defense and commercial space sectors converge, Starfighters Space is well-positioned in a rapidly growing market due to its unique operational capabilities and government relationships, which are expected to attract more investment and secure key contracts.
See More
Starfighters Partners with Blackstar for Hypersonic Flight Testing
- Strategic Partnership: Starfighters Space has signed a Technical Interchange Agreement with Blackstar Orbital to advance flight testing of reusable hypersonic 'SpaceDrone' systems, with captive carry tests expected in Q4 FY26, marking a critical transition from simulation to real-world flight testing that could propel the development of a new class of reusable satellites.
- Flight Testing Initiative: This collaboration will utilize Starfighters' F-104 supersonic aircraft for manned flight tests, culminating in a high-altitude supersonic release that models the reentry flight trajectory of Blackstar's 'microshuttle' platform, further validating its performance in real-world conditions.
- Innovative Technical Interface: Starfighters has provided a specialized BL75 pylon as the structural interface between the F-104 and the SpaceDrone, enabling phased captive carry and eventual release testing, thereby enhancing its technical capabilities in the aerospace sector.
- Expanding Market Potential: With the U.S. Space Force budget reaching $40 billion, hypersonic testing and reusable space systems are emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in the aerospace and defense market, and this partnership will further solidify Starfighters' position in this rapidly evolving landscape.
See More
Global Defense Spending Hits Record High, Starfighters Space Forms Strategic Partnership
- Record Defense Spending: In 2025, global military spending reached $2.7 trillion, with the top 100 defense companies generating $922 billion in revenue, indicating strong growth potential in the sector and attracting investor interest in emerging technologies and innovative firms.
- Strategic Partnership: Starfighters Space has formed a strategic partnership with Mu-G Technologies to provide microgravity flight missions for NASA and other clients, leveraging both parties' expertise to meet increasing demand in the aerospace market.
- Operational Expansion: Starfighters is expanding its operations at Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, with plans to double the number of F-104 aircraft and engines within 18 months, enhancing mission cadence and geographic reach across the U.S. Southwest.
- Technological Innovation Progress: The STARLAUNCH 1 air-launch rocket program has entered the Critical Design Review phase, with wind tunnel tests confirming effective aerodynamic separation at supersonic speeds, further solidifying Starfighters' market position in aerospace testing services.
See More
Starfighters Partners with Mu-GTech to Expand Aerospace Services
- Enhanced Capabilities: The collaboration between Starfighters and Mu-GTech aims to bolster operational capabilities in the aerospace market by providing access to microgravity testing environments, addressing the increasing demand from government and commercial space programs.
- Flight Validation Plans: The companies plan to conduct flight validation and data collection to assess operational performance and commercial scalability, potentially allowing for longer-duration parabolas for research purposes, thereby enhancing the quality of reduced-gravity environments.
- Market Response: This partnership responds to NASA's 'Sources Sought' notice, indicating Starfighters' proactive engagement in technology development and further expanding its service offerings in the microgravity research sector.
- Stock Performance Analysis: Starfighters' shares are currently priced at $7.58, trading 16.6% above the 20-day simple moving average but 8.3% below the 50-day average, reflecting mixed short-term momentum in the market.
See More
BETA Technologies Reports Disappointing Q4 Results
- Earnings Miss: BETA Technologies reported a Q4 loss of $2.02 per share, significantly worse than the analyst consensus estimate of a loss of $0.84, indicating substantial challenges in profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Sales Beat: Despite the significant losses, the company achieved quarterly sales of $11.133 million, surpassing the analyst consensus of $7.859 million, suggesting some resilience in market demand that could lay the groundwork for future growth.
- Stock Reaction: In pre-market trading, BETA's shares fell 3.1% to $18.67, reflecting a negative investor response to the earnings report, which may lead to increased liquidity pressure in the short term.
- Market Sentiment: The overall market sentiment is bearish, with Dow futures down over 1%, indicating investor concerns about the economic outlook, which could further impact BETA Technologies and other related stocks.
See More
U.S. Stock Futures Plunge Amid Rising Energy Costs
- Surge in Energy Prices: Brent crude oil prices spiked 14.90% to $106.50 per barrel, while WTI rose 13.27% to $102.96, both nearing their 52-week highs, triggering market panic and negatively impacting stock futures.
- Poor Market Performance: The Dow Jones fell 1.61%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.41%, and the Nasdaq 100 decreased by 1.56%, reflecting investor concerns about economic prospects, particularly amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East.
- Disappointing Economic Data: The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.4%, indicating a risk of “stagflation” that exacerbates market uncertainty and fragility.
- Fed Policy Expectations: The CME Group's FedWatch tool indicates a 97.3% likelihood that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged in March, reflecting investor worries about slowing economic growth.
See More
Starfighters Space Partners with Blackstar Orbital to Advance Hypersonic Testing
- Defense Budget Surge: The U.S. Space Force's budget for FY2026 reaches approximately $40 billion, more than doubling from $15 billion in FY2021, reflecting urgent needs for hypersonic weapons and space infrastructure, which is expected to drive market opportunities for related companies.
- Strategic Partnership: On March 30, 2026, Starfighters Space announced a strategic partnership with Blackstar Orbital to advance the testing of reusable hypersonic space systems from simulation to real-world flight validation, enhancing its competitiveness in the defense market.
- Technological Advancements: The integration of Starfighters' F-104 aircraft with Blackstar's SpaceDrone aims for flight tests at speeds up to Mach 2, which, if successful, will provide the U.S. Space Force with rapid reconstitution and on-orbit flexibility capabilities, aligning with its core strategic needs.
- Market Opportunities: As the defense and commercial space sectors converge, Starfighters Space is well-positioned in a rapidly growing market due to its unique operational capabilities and government relationships, which are expected to attract more investment and secure key contracts.
See More
Starfighters Partners with Blackstar for Hypersonic Flight Testing
- Strategic Partnership: Starfighters Space has signed a Technical Interchange Agreement with Blackstar Orbital to advance flight testing of reusable hypersonic 'SpaceDrone' systems, with captive carry tests expected in Q4 FY26, marking a critical transition from simulation to real-world flight testing that could propel the development of a new class of reusable satellites.
- Flight Testing Initiative: This collaboration will utilize Starfighters' F-104 supersonic aircraft for manned flight tests, culminating in a high-altitude supersonic release that models the reentry flight trajectory of Blackstar's 'microshuttle' platform, further validating its performance in real-world conditions.
- Innovative Technical Interface: Starfighters has provided a specialized BL75 pylon as the structural interface between the F-104 and the SpaceDrone, enabling phased captive carry and eventual release testing, thereby enhancing its technical capabilities in the aerospace sector.
- Expanding Market Potential: With the U.S. Space Force budget reaching $40 billion, hypersonic testing and reusable space systems are emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in the aerospace and defense market, and this partnership will further solidify Starfighters' position in this rapidly evolving landscape.
See More
Global Defense Spending Hits Record High, Starfighters Space Forms Strategic Partnership
- Record Defense Spending: In 2025, global military spending reached $2.7 trillion, with the top 100 defense companies generating $922 billion in revenue, indicating strong growth potential in the sector and attracting investor interest in emerging technologies and innovative firms.
- Strategic Partnership: Starfighters Space has formed a strategic partnership with Mu-G Technologies to provide microgravity flight missions for NASA and other clients, leveraging both parties' expertise to meet increasing demand in the aerospace market.
- Operational Expansion: Starfighters is expanding its operations at Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, with plans to double the number of F-104 aircraft and engines within 18 months, enhancing mission cadence and geographic reach across the U.S. Southwest.
- Technological Innovation Progress: The STARLAUNCH 1 air-launch rocket program has entered the Critical Design Review phase, with wind tunnel tests confirming effective aerodynamic separation at supersonic speeds, further solidifying Starfighters' market position in aerospace testing services.
See More
Starfighters Partners with Mu-GTech to Expand Aerospace Services
- Enhanced Capabilities: The collaboration between Starfighters and Mu-GTech aims to bolster operational capabilities in the aerospace market by providing access to microgravity testing environments, addressing the increasing demand from government and commercial space programs.
- Flight Validation Plans: The companies plan to conduct flight validation and data collection to assess operational performance and commercial scalability, potentially allowing for longer-duration parabolas for research purposes, thereby enhancing the quality of reduced-gravity environments.
- Market Response: This partnership responds to NASA's 'Sources Sought' notice, indicating Starfighters' proactive engagement in technology development and further expanding its service offerings in the microgravity research sector.
- Stock Performance Analysis: Starfighters' shares are currently priced at $7.58, trading 16.6% above the 20-day simple moving average but 8.3% below the 50-day average, reflecting mixed short-term momentum in the market.
See More
BETA Technologies Reports Disappointing Q4 Results
- Earnings Miss: BETA Technologies reported a Q4 loss of $2.02 per share, significantly worse than the analyst consensus estimate of a loss of $0.84, indicating substantial challenges in profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Sales Beat: Despite the significant losses, the company achieved quarterly sales of $11.133 million, surpassing the analyst consensus of $7.859 million, suggesting some resilience in market demand that could lay the groundwork for future growth.
- Stock Reaction: In pre-market trading, BETA's shares fell 3.1% to $18.67, reflecting a negative investor response to the earnings report, which may lead to increased liquidity pressure in the short term.
- Market Sentiment: The overall market sentiment is bearish, with Dow futures down over 1%, indicating investor concerns about the economic outlook, which could further impact BETA Technologies and other related stocks.
See More
U.S. Stock Futures Plunge Amid Rising Energy Costs
- Surge in Energy Prices: Brent crude oil prices spiked 14.90% to $106.50 per barrel, while WTI rose 13.27% to $102.96, both nearing their 52-week highs, triggering market panic and negatively impacting stock futures.
- Poor Market Performance: The Dow Jones fell 1.61%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.41%, and the Nasdaq 100 decreased by 1.56%, reflecting investor concerns about economic prospects, particularly amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East.
- Disappointing Economic Data: The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.4%, indicating a risk of “stagflation” that exacerbates market uncertainty and fragility.
- Fed Policy Expectations: The CME Group's FedWatch tool indicates a 97.3% likelihood that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged in March, reflecting investor worries about slowing economic growth.
See More
