KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starfighters Space, Inc. (“Starfighters” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: FJET), the space company operating the world's only commercial fleet of flight-ready Mach 2+ supersonic aircraft, announced it will showcase its iconic F-104 jets at the inaugural NASA sponsored MAX POWER aerospace expo and airshow on Nov. 7-8 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Starfighters will participate in both flight demonstrations and static aircraft displays at the event.
“The F-104 is the original 'right stuff' supersonic jet, used by NASA and the Air Force to train Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts, including Neil Armstrong. Beyond Apollo, it was later used by NASA to test heat shield tiles for the Space Shuttle, and it performed an array of aeronautical missions, including testing reaction-control thrusters at altitudes above 100,000 feet,” said Tim Franta, CEO of Starfighters Space. “Today, we are continuing the F-104’s legacy at Kennedy Space Center by using the aircraft as a real-world platform to test and advance next-generation aerospace technologies.”
At MAX POWER, the F-104 will be piloted by Piercarlo Ciacchi, the Company’s Director of Flight Operations and lead aviator with more than 7,000 hours of flight time across a wide range of aircraft types. Before joining Starfighters, Ciacchi flew the F-104 in the Italian Air Force and was a member of Italy’s National Aerobatic Team.
Throughout its history, the F-104 has set numerous world records, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. These included records for speed (1,404.9 mph), altitude (103,395 feet), and time-to-climb (ground to 25,000 meters in 266.03 seconds). More than 2,500 F-104s were built beginning in 1954 for U.S. agencies and more than a dozen allied air forces worldwide. Italy was the last nation to operate the aircraft in military service, retiring its fleet in 2004. Starfighters subsequently acquired multiple aircraft and engines from Italy’s retired inventory.
Worldwide, only a handful of F-104s remain operational and most are in the Company’s fleet. Starfighters’ aircraft are flight-ready to support hypersonic system testing, microgravity science, human factors and biomedical studies, spaceflight hardware and materials testing, defense and aerospace technology validation, and supersonic pilot and commercial pilot training. The aircraft are also intended to ultimately support air-launch operations for suborbital and small orbital payloads under Starfighters’ STARLAUNCH™ initiative.
MAX POWER
Date: November 7-8, 2026
Location: NASA Kennedy Space Center; Florida
Event Details: The inaugural NASA-sponsored MAX POWER aerospace technology expo and airshow will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and the past, present, and future of aviation and space exploration, bringing together aircraft, spaceflight hardware, and emerging aerospace technologies.
About Starfighters Space, Inc.
Starfighters Space operates its fleet of F-104 aircraft at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, making it the only company in the world with the commercial capability to fly at sustained Mach 2+ speeds. The iconic F-104 jets are configurable as a platform for air-launched payloads, training for pilots, and to support RDT&E (Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation) for hypersonic technologies, missile defense systems, microgravity science, spaceflight hardware, advanced materials, and defense electronic systems.
Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially due to risks and uncertainties affecting the Company’s business, including those described in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and are made as of the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.