CASE STUDY

STRATOLAUNCH

Brian Morse

“We couldn’t have made the transition from Vulcan without EXP’s tireless and professional efforts. We continue to rely on their expertise and timely support to this day.”

Brian Morse, Senior Vice President, Operations

The Challenge

stratolaunch rocket preparing

Stratolaunch Chooses EXP Technical

 

Stratolaunch Systems Corporation, a bold venture in space transportation, was founded in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen with a vision to make space travel more reliable, affordable, and accessible to all.

In April 2017, Allen’s Vulcan Aerospace made a strategic move, officially separating from Vulcan Inc. and merging into Stratolaunch. This transition required the company to quickly untangle its systems from Vulcan to meet strict regulatory compliance standards. The complexity of the project meant building an entirely new IT infrastructure from the ground up, one that not only met the highest security requirements but was also designed to withstand the rigorous demands placed on U.S. defense contractors.

To tackle this challenge head-on, Stratolaunch partnered with us. Trusting us to deliver a secure, efficient, and scalable solution within a tight timeline.

  • Stratolaunch Systems Corporation was founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen to make space launches more reliable, affordable, and accessible.

  • In 2017, Vulcan Aerospace merged into Stratolaunch, requiring a complete separation from Vulcan’s systems for regulatory compliance.

  • Stratolaunch enlisted EXP Technical to build a secure, scalable IT infrastructure that met stringent defense contractor security standards within a tight timeline.

The Solution

EXP Technical Leads The Way

The EXP team, under the leadership of Pat Cooke and Jordan Lee, swiftly defined the requirements for Stratolaunch’s business transition and developed a detailed plan to meet critical separation deadlines. They prioritized the most essential business functions to ensure seamless availability from day one, followed by rapid integration of secondary systems. Every step of this process was meticulously designed and implemented with compliance to NIST SP800-171 standards and ITAR regulations at the forefront.

The solution included:

  • A secure network infrastructure, featuring firewalls, switching, wireless, and remote access capabilities.

  • Microsoft Office 365 Government Community Cloud, High—brand new at the time—as the core business productivity platform.

  • Local server infrastructure for directory, network, and file-sharing services, including Windows Servers, Active Directory, Azure AD Sync, and File Storage.

  • Comprehensive security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, wireless access control, endpoint security, encryption, and more.

  • A secure Extranet designed for contractor and partner access.

  • A multi-site backup and disaster recovery solution to ensure business continuity.

  • An IT roadmap designed to scale the infrastructure as the company grew.

  • A fully outsourced IT department structured to adapt quickly to Stratolaunch’s evolving needs.

EXP Technical’s services included:

  • IT strategy and planning

  • Project management and execution

  • Vendor and procurement management

  • Cloud and data migrations

  • Infrastructure development

  • Ongoing support and Helpdesk services

This comprehensive solution empowered Stratolaunch to meet its immediate transition needs while laying a foundation for future growth and security.

IT Strategy & Planning
Project Management & Execution
Responsive Technical Support

The Results

Stratolaunch double plane flight

Stratolaunch Seamless Transition With EXP Technical

Stratolaunch executed its separation from Vulcan at lightning speed, minimizing downtime and operational disruption, all without the need for full-time IT staff.

Today, Stratolaunch continues to partner with EXP Technical for outsourced IT services, including strategic IT management, support, and security. This collaboration extends to key projects like their mission control center in Mojave, CA, where they’re building the world’s largest airplane.

Expert IT Solutions

Precision IT Solutions for Your Growing Business

Comprehensive IT services with the same transparent pricing, collaboration, and customization as in-house IT teams.

IT Project Outsourcing

High-impact IT initiatives delivered on time, and on budget.

Proactive IT Support & Maintenance

24/7 monitoring, maintenance & helpdesk support.

Cloud Computing, AI Strategies & Solutions

Secure Azure & AWS migrations with compliance assurance.

Cybersecurity & Compliance

Multi-layered protection for data, systems & compliance.