First Talon-A Test Vehicle Unveiled for World’s Largest Airplane

Stratolaunch, operator of the world’s largest airplane, has unveiled a separation vehicle test article which will be used to demonstrate the massive aircraft’s air-to-launch capabilities.

Thom Patterson

Friday, May 27, 2022 at 07:27 AM ET

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Stratolaunch’s first iteration of its Talon-A launch vehicle is called TA-0. [Courtesy: Stratolaunch/Domenic Moen]

Key Takeaways:

Stratolaunch has unveiled TA-0, the first Talon-A separation vehicle test article, to demonstrate the massive Roc aircraft's air-to-launch capabilities and validate its payload release system.
This initiative is a critical step towards Stratolaunch becoming a national asset for hypersonic flight testing by 2023, with future rocket-powered Talon-A versions designed to reach speeds above Mach 5.
Initial unpowered Talon-A flight tests are expected this year, leading to full operational status next year where the system will aid the Pentagon in understanding and intercepting hypersonic weapons.

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Stratolaunch, operator of the world’s largest airplane, has unveiled a separation vehicle test article which will be used to demonstrate the massive aircraft’s air-to-launch capabilities.

This first Talon-A vehicle—dubbed TA-0— is critical to the mission of the airplane known as Roc. TA-0 will be used to test and validate Roc’s sophisticated payload release system. The airplane—the world’s largest by wingspan—completed its fifth test flight earlier this month.