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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 contract from the U.S. Department of Defense's Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to conduct hypersonic flight tests.
The company will use its "Spirit of Mojave" launch platform (a modified Boeing 747) to deploy the Talon-A testbed at speeds exceeding Mach 5 later this year.
The primary goal of the mission is to test and evaluate advanced missile defense systems against the growing threat of difficult-to-detect and counter hypersonic weapons.
This new campaign builds on Stratolaunch's previous hypersonic testing work for the Navy, utilizing the Talon-A, and expands launch flexibility with the "Spirit of Mojave."

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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.