&lt;p&gt;This research effort is exploring the concept of launching a rocket from&amp;nbsp;a glider that is towed by an aircraft. The idea is to build a relatively&amp;nbsp;inexpensive remotely piloted glider that could be towed to altitude by a&amp;nbsp;large transport aircraft. The glider would carry a booster rocket capable&amp;nbsp;of launching payloads into orbit. After the rocket launch, the glider would&amp;nbsp;return independently of the tow aircraft to its base to be used again. This&amp;nbsp;approach could significantly reduce the cost and improve the efficiency&amp;nbsp;of sending satellites into orbit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Work to date&lt;/strong&gt;: Three separate technical feasibility studies completed&amp;nbsp;by independent contractors indicate the technique could achieve&amp;nbsp;significant performance gains over vertical ground launches of similarsized&amp;nbsp;rockets. The Dryden team has designed and is building a subscale&amp;nbsp;research model to test operational aspects and characterize flight&amp;nbsp;performance and handling qualities. Flight testing and crew training have&amp;nbsp;begun on a single fuselage glider that will be towed to altitude by early&amp;nbsp;2014.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking ahead:&lt;/strong&gt; Future plans involve continuing work to assemble&amp;nbsp;a one-third scale glider model with a 24-foot wingspan to obtain&amp;nbsp;operational experience while under towed flight, as well as performance&amp;nbsp;and handling qualities data. Plans are underway to flight demonstrate a&amp;nbsp;rocket launch from the sub-scale model in 2014. Whittinghill Aerospace&amp;nbsp;is fabricating a rocket for this air launch flight demonstration, under a&amp;nbsp;Phase III SBIR..&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benefits&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;More economical:&lt;/strong&gt; Use of a simple remotely&amp;nbsp;piloted glider, without the complex propulsion&amp;nbsp;and crew life support systems required for&amp;nbsp;a crewed, powered aircraft, provides an&amp;nbsp;inexpensive air launch platform&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Increased payload:&lt;/strong&gt; A towed glider can&amp;nbsp;carry over twice the payload of a dedicated&amp;nbsp;powered aircraft&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Safer:&lt;/strong&gt; Remotely piloted gliders that are&amp;nbsp;towed 1000+ feet behind the tow plane offer&amp;nbsp;a substantial safety perimeter from the high&amp;nbsp;energy systems inherent in rocket boosters (as&amp;nbsp;compared to other air-launch methodologies)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;