AirLaunch LLC was an aerospace design and development company that aimed to provide air launch services for payloads into Earth orbit. Their method involved carrying a rocket to high altitude by an aircraft before release and ignition. AirLaunch worked on the QuickReach booster under the DARPA/Air Force Falcon program with the goal of launching 1,000 pounds to Low Earth Orbit for less than $5 million with only 24 hours notice. The company ceased operations in November 2008 after DARPA concluded its SLV program.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Debra Facktor served as President and owner of AirLaunch LLC, which received DARPA funding for a small launch vehicle development project.
AirLaunch LLC proposed a small launch vehicle to be deployed from a C-17 cargo aircraft and conducted a drop test to demonstrate feasibility, but DARPA elected to focus the FALCON program on a hypersonic testbed.