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| Stratolaunch Shows Design US Talon-A Hypersonic Aircraft |
International Military - Stratolaunch is gearing up to test the design of the Talon-A hypersonic vehicle to be launched from the Roc large carrier aircraft. Stratolaunch for the first time introduced this hypersonic vehicle design to the public.
The Mojave, California-based company announced on May 26, 2022 that it has just structurally completed its Talon-A test vehicle, known as TA-0. It is planned that the Talon-A will be launched from the Roc parent aircraft which has successfully undergone its fifth flight test on May 4, 2022.
After completing TA-0 separation testing, the company will move on to flying its first hypersonic test vehicle, the TA-1, Stratolaunch told Aviation Week.
Stratolaunch was originally set to conduct its first test launch with Roc and Talon-A aircraft in early 2022. However, it is likely that it will take place in mid to late 2023 once it reaches full operational capability. "The team has also started fabrication of a third vehicle, the TA-2, the first fully reusable hypersonic test vehicle," said a Stratolaunch representative.
Stratolaunch explained, the hypersonic vehicle TA-0 should perform captive carry flights later this year from Roc aircraft. This test is to see the flight dynamics of the carrier plane through a drop test from a height of 117 meters.
Testing of the TA-0 hypersonic vehicle from the Roc launcher to realize Stratolaunch's plan to create a satellite launch from the air. It is hoped that this hypersonic test program will enable technology development, scientific research or demonstration of the main components of high-speed objects.
The company, founded in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, underwent its first test flight in April 2019, about six months after Allen died of cancer. A few months later, in October 2019, a new set of owners bought the company with a new iteration to launch hypersonic vehicles from the air.