Editing Paul Allen (section)

===Aerospace===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="125">
File:SpaceShipOne Takeoff photo Don Ramey Logan.jpg|[[SpaceShipOne]] on ramp before takeoff in October 2004
File:SS1Group01.jpg|(L-R) [[Marion Blakey]], [[Mike Melvill]], [[Richard Branson]], [[Burt Rutan]], [[Brian Binnie]], and Allen following first flight
File:Ansari X-Prize Check.jpg|Allen (third from right) and Rutan (fifth from right) were awarded the [[Ansari X PRIZE]] by members of the [[X PRIZE Foundation]] in November 2004.
File:SpaceShipOne.jpg|SpaceShipOne at the [[National Air and Space Museum]]
</gallery>

Allen confirmed that he was the sole investor behind aerospace engineer and entrepreneur [[Burt Rutan]]'s [[SpaceShipOne]] [[suborbital]] commercial [[spacecraft]] on October 4, 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vulcan Underwrites SpaceShipOne |url=http://www.vulcan.com/TemplateCompany.aspx?contentId=94 |access-date=April 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331064258/http://www.vulcan.com/TemplateCompany.aspx?contentId=94 |archive-date=March 31, 2012 }}</ref> The craft was developed and flown by [[Mojave Aerospace Ventures]], which was a joint venture between Allen and Rutan's aviation company, [[Scaled Composites]]. SpaceShipOne climbed to an altitude of {{convert|367442|ft|m|0}} over the [[Mojave Air and Space Port]] and was the first privately funded effort to successfully put a civilian in suborbital space. It won the [[Ansari X Prize]] competition and received the $10&nbsp;million prize.<ref>{{Cite news|access-date=March 31, 2008|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/10/04/spaceshipone.attempt.cnn/index.html|title=SpaceShipOne captures X Prize|work=CNN|date=October 4, 2004|author=Ina Fried|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321070412/http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/10/04/spaceshipone.attempt.cnn/index.html|archive-date=March 21, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On December 13, 2011, Allen announced the creation of [[Stratolaunch Systems]], based at the [[Mojave Air and Space Port]]. The [[Scaled Composites Stratolaunch|Stratolaunch]] is a proposed orbital launch system consisting of a dual-bodied, 6-engine jet aircraft, capable of carrying a rocket to high altitude; the rocket would then separate from its carrier aircraft and fire its own engines to complete its climb into orbit. If successful, this project would be the first wholly privately funded space transport system.<ref>{{Cite news|access-date=December 13, 2011|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203518404577096493595261190|title=Paul Allen, Supersizing Space Flight|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 14, 2011|author=Andy Pasztor and Dionne Searcey|archive-date=May 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518192214/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203518404577096493595261190|url-status=live}}</ref> Stratolaunch, which is partnering with [[Orbital ATK]] and Scaled Composites, is intended to launch in inclement weather, fly without worrying about the availability of launch pads and to operate from different locations. Stratolaunch plans to ultimately host six to ten missions per year.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=October 28, 2013|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/with-the-shuttle-done-a-co-founder-of-microsoft-sees-an-opening-in-space/2013/07/29/13175a0a-dce2-11e2-85de-c03ca84cb4ef_story.html|title=With the shuttle done, a co-founder of Microsoft sees an opening in space|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=July 29, 2013|author=Gugliotta, Guy|archive-date=October 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029213944/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-07-29/national/40887803_1_stratolaunch-space-shuttle-deep-space-missions|url-status=live}}</ref> On April 13, 2015, Vulcan Aerospace was announced. It is the company within Allen's Vulcan Inc. that plans and executes projects to shift how the world conceptualizes space travel through cost reduction and on-demand access.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vulcan.com/areas-of-practice/space/key-initiatives/space-projects-overview |title=Aerospace |publisher=Vulcan |access-date=July 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719081805/http://www.vulcan.com/areas-of-practice/space/key-initiatives/space-projects-overview |archive-date=July 19, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Stratolaunch comparison.svg|thumb|Wingspan of 2019 [[Scaled Composites Stratolaunch|Stratolaunch]]]]

On April 13, 2019, the Stratolaunch aircraft made its maiden flight, reaching {{cvt|15,000|ft}} and {{convert|165|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} in a 2 h 29 min flight.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/airlines/a27148543/stratolaunch-first-flight-video-images/ |title=The World's Largest Plane's First Flight From Every Angle |date=April 15, 2019 |magazine=Popular Mechanics |access-date=April 15, 2019 |quote=The tests come after a long series of taxi tests that always stopped just short of achieving actual flight, but now that threshold has been crossed, and the engineers seem pleased with the results. |archive-date=April 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415161852/https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/airlines/a27148543/stratolaunch-first-flight-video-images/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/story/stratolaunch-flight/ |title=Stratolaunch, the World's Biggest Airplane, Takes Flight |date=April 13, 2019 |magazine= Wired |access-date=April 15, 2019 |quote=the company hopes to use the twin-fuselage, six-engined, catamaran-style aircraft to launch satellite-bearing rockets into space. |archive-date=April 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415060716/https://www.wired.com/story/stratolaunch-flight/ |url-status=live }}</ref>  Stratolaunch CEO Jean Floyd offered this comment: "We dedicate this day to the man who inspired us all to strive for ways to empower the world's problem-solvers, Paul Allen. Without a doubt, he would have been exceptionally proud to see his aircraft take flight". Upon its flight, the airplane became the largest in history by [[wingspan]].<ref name=ArsTechnica>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/04/stratolaunch-the-worlds-biggest-airplane-takes-flight/ |title=Stratolaunch, the World's Biggest Airplane, Takes Flight |date=April 14, 2019 |publisher=Condé Nast Ars Technica |access-date=April 15, 2019 |quote="Even though he wasn't there today, as the plane lifted gracefully from the runway, I did whisper a 'thank you' to Paul for allowing me to be a part of this remarkable achievement, |archive-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414231706/https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/04/stratolaunch-the-worlds-biggest-airplane-takes-flight/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

As of the end of May 2019, Stratolaunch Systems Corporation had ceased operations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-exploration-stratolaunch-exclus/exclusive-space-firm-founded-by-billionaire-paul-allen-closing-operations-sources-idUSKCN1T12FD |title=Exclusive: Space firm founded by billionaire Paul Allen closing operations - sources |date=May 31, 2019 |work=Reuters |access-date=June 5, 2019 |quote="Stratolaunch Systems Corporation, the space company founded by late billionaire and Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen, is closing operations, cutting short ambitious plans to challenge traditional aerospace companies in a new "space race," four people familiar with the matter said on Friday." |archive-date=June 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604230357/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-exploration-stratolaunch-exclus/exclusive-space-firm-founded-by-billionaire-paul-allen-closing-operations-sources-idUSKCN1T12FD |url-status=live }}</ref>