Stratolaunch TA-1 Hypersonic Test Vehicle Completes First Powered Flight

The company said the test craft, part of its Talon-A product line, reached supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5.

Jonathan Welsh

Monday, March 11, 2024 at 03:19 PM ET

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Stratolaunch's Talon-A stands ready to be carried aloft on the Roc launch aircraft. [Courtesy: Stratolaunch]

Key Takeaways:

Stratolaunch successfully completed the first powered flight of its TA-1 test vehicle, marking a major milestone in developing the country's first privately funded, reusable hypersonic test capability.
The TA-1 flight met all objectives, including safe release, engine ignition, acceleration, and sustained climb, reaching high supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5.
This test gathered valuable data to inform the upcoming reusable TA-2 flight later this year, with manufacturing already underway for the next reusable vehicle, TA-3.

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Stratolaunch has completed the first powered flight of its TA-1 test vehicle, marking what the company called a “major milestone in the development of the country’s first privately funded, reusable hypersonic test capability.”

Stratolaunch said the main objectives of the test on March 9 included the basic phases of the TA-1’s flight, such as a safe release from the Roc air-launch aircraft, followed by engine ignition, acceleration, and sustained climb in altitude. The flight concluded with a controlled water landing.