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Maker of World’s Largest Plane Tapped for Hypersonic Test Campaign

Stratolaunch’s ‘Roc’ boasts a longer wingspan than the ‘Spruce Goose,’ but the military is also interested in its Talon-A testbed.

Thursday, January 09, 2025 at 04:46 PM ET

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Stratolaunch’s Spirit of Mojave, a modified Boeing 747, will deploy the Talon-A hypersonic test bed to help the military research missile defense. [Courtesy: Stratolaunch]

Key Takeaways:

Stratolaunch has secured a $24.7 million agreement with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for a new hypersonic flight test mission.
The company will use its acquired "Spirit of Mojave" (a modified Boeing 747) to launch the Talon-A testbed, aiming to achieve speeds over Mach 5 later this year.
The primary objective of these tests is to evaluate and develop advanced missile defense systems capable of countering rapidly maneuverable hypersonic threats.
This effort builds on Stratolaunch's previous successful hypersonic testing for the Navy, where its Roc aircraft deployed Talon-A vehicles near Mach 5.

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The maker of the world’s largest airplane is helping the U.S. Department of Defense test technologies at hypersonic speeds.

Stratolaunch, whose turbofan-powered “Roc” boasts a longer wingspan than even the “Spruce Goose,” on Thursday said the DOD’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded it a $24.7 million competitive agreement for a “groundbreaking” hypersonic flight test mission. The campaign will see the company’s Spirit of Mojave launch platform deploy its Talon-A testbed at speeds north of Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, later this year.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.