In the least shocking news of the day…

Space firm founded by billionaire Paul Allen closing operations – sources

Right now it’s not official, it’s “sources say.” But Stratolaunch never made a lick of business sense, and going belly-up has seemed inevitable. As an ego project for a bajillionaire… sure. It’s no worse than a Russian oligarch or a Saudi prince splurging on a yacht the size of a battlecruiser; but once that bajillionaire is out of the picture – in this case, dead – the driving force behind it evaporates. And without a sound business case… shrug.