Scaled Composites

Scaled Composites, LLC
	File:Scaled Composites logo.png
Company type	Division
Industry	Aerospace industry
Founded	1982
Founder	Burt Rutan
Headquarters	Mojave, California
Key people	Greg Morris, President; Jennifer Santiago, Executive Vice President;
Products	Air vehicle design, tooling, and manufacturing, specialty composite structure design, analysis and fabrication, developmental flight test
Number of employees	Over 200
Parent	Northrop Grumman
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Scaled Composites—commonly referred to as Scaled—is a U.S.-based aerospace firm established by Burt Rutan and currently owned by Northrop Grumman. Operating out of the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California, the company focuses on conceptual aircraft design and prototype construction. Renowned for its innovative use of composite materials and unconventional aircraft configurations, Scaled Composites rose to fame by securing the Ansari X Prize with its spacecraft known as SpaceShipOne.

Company history

Established in 1982, Scaled Composites was purchased by Beechcraft in 1985 amid collaborative efforts on the Starship project. Following transitions through ownership by Raytheon and Wyman-Gordon, it was reacquired by Rutan alongside investors and rebranded as Scaled Composites, LLC. Northrop Grumman initially acquired a 40% stake before completing full ownership on August 24, 2007; this change did not affect Scaled’s operational approach or executive management. Founder Burt Rutan stepped down in April 2011. Leadership passed from Ben Diachun, who served as president from October 2015 until April 2019, to Cory Bird.

Early projects

Prior to founding Scaled Composites, Burt Rutan developed pioneering aircraft designs for the homebuilt aviation market, including the VariEze, which is widely regarded as a significant advancement in general aviation. He was also responsible for the design of the Beechcraft Starship, distinguished by its canard layout, winglets, and pusher propeller configuration; despite its innovation, it did not achieve commercial success.

In 2005, the single-jet Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, designed by Rutan with aerodynamic input from John Roncz and constructed by Scaled Composites, completed the first solo nonstop flight around the globe without refueling—covering —highlighting the company’s cutting-edge aerospace engineering capabilities.

Rutan and Roncz also contributed their aerodynamic expertise to earlier projects and were instrumental in designing the double-slotted wing mast for Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes catamaran during the 1988 America's Cup, demonstrating Scaled Composites’ engineering versatility beyond aviation.

SpaceShipOne

In April 2003, Scaled Composites revealed plans to develop SpaceShipOne, a privately financed spacecraft designed to claim the Ansari X PRIZE for achieving the first private crewed spaceflight. On December 17, 2003, SpaceShipOne executed its inaugural supersonic flight, reaching an altitude of 67,000 feet and attaining Mach 1.2 velocity. Released from its White Knight carrier aircraft during this flight, it represented a landmark achievement in privately funded aerospace development. Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, publicly acknowledged his role as an angel investor in this venture.

On April 1, 2004, the United States Department of Transportation granted Scaled Composites the world’s first license authorizing a sub-orbital crewed rocket flight. This unprecedented approval came from the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation specifically for crewed sub-orbital missions. Operating out of Mojave Spaceport, SpaceShipOne completed the first privately funded human spaceflight on June 21, 2004. Subsequent flights on September 29 and October 4 secured victory in the Ansari X Prize competition, cementing Scaled Composites’ status as a pioneer in commercial spaceflight innovation.

Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft

The Scaled Composites Model 351, commonly referred to as the "Roc," was created for Stratolaunch Systems to serve as a launch platform for air-launched space missions. In 2015, Kevin Mickey, president of Scaled Composites, highlighted the aircraft's enormous composite construction, featuring a wingspan that extends 15 feet beyond the length of a standard football field on each side.

This aircraft features dual fuselages, each stretching 238 feet in length, supported by twelve main landing gear wheels and two nose wheels. It requires a runway approximately 12,000 feet long to achieve takeoff. This configuration aligns with Stratolaunch's strategy of deploying payloads into orbit using air-launch methods.

Rutan Aircraft Factory aircraft

Burt Rutan established the Rutan Aircraft Factory to commercialize his Model 32 "VariViggen SP," which evolved from his initial VariViggen prototype started in 1968. The company played a significant role in aircraft design and prototyping, distributing over 600 plan sets for the VariViggen to homebuilders, resulting in about 20 constructed aircraft. Although some operational challenges occurred—including a crash in 2006 caused by fuel contamination—fewer than five of these aircraft remain operational today. The original prototype was donated to the EAA AirVenture Museum in 1988.

Notable models produced by Rutan Aircraft Factory include:

Model 27 VariViggen (1972)
Model 31 VariEze (1975)
Model 32 VariViggen SP (1973)
Model 33 VariEze (1976)
Model 35 AD-1 (1979)
Model 40/74 Defiant (1978)
Model 54 Quickie (1978)
Model 61 Long-EZ (1979)
Model 68 AMSOIL Racer (1981)
Model 73 NGT: scaled Fairchild T-46 trainer (1981)
Model 72 Grizzly (1982)
Model 76 Voyager: first nonstop, unrefueled global flight around the world (1986)
Model 77 Solitaire (1982)
Model 81 Catbird: five-seat single-engine aircraft (1988)
Model 202 Boomerang: asymmetric five-seat airplane (1996)
Model 437 Vanguard: multi-role military demonstration aircraft with both manned and unmanned capabilities

These designs underscore Rutan's influential role in pioneering innovative aircraft concepts, solidifying his status as a prominent aerospace entrepreneur and business leader.