MOJAVE, CA – October 12, 2023– Stratolaunch, LLC announces a contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to support the first flight test of the company’s second reusable Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle, TA-3.
Launched from Roc, the world’s largest flying aircraft, Talon-A vehicles are rocket-powered, autonomous testbeds with the ability to fly a variety of hypersonic flight profiles while carrying customized payload experiments on board. Stratolaunch announced its first contract with AFRL in late 2022 supporting its first flight of TA-1, an expendable configuration of the Talon-A product line.
Reusability is an important factor enabling an increase in the cadence of hypersonic testing. Stratolaunch’s repeatable approach enables rapid, iterative testing, increasing the pace of access to the hypersonic environment while reducing development cost, schedule, and risk.
Stratolaunch's Roc and Talon-A 1 (TA-1) positioned outside as an integrated system during a propulsion system test for the TA-1 hypersonic vehicle on Aug. 19, 2023. Credit: Stratolaunch / Domenic Moen
We’re pleased AFRL chose to support the flight of TA-3 and continues to see value in our approach to low cost, high-cadence flight test. We look forward to increasing the cadence of our flight test services for our customers in the near future.Dr. Zachary Krevor President and CEO of Stratolaunch
About Stratolaunch
Stratolaunch's mission is to advance high-speed technology through innovative design, manufacturing, and operation of world-class aerospace vehicles. For the latest news and information, visit www.stratolaunch.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
