Stratolaunch gets 5-flight pact
Missions planned to support Navy hypersonics program
MOJAVE — As it prepares for the first powered flight of its hypersonic test bed, Mojave-based Stratolaunch announced a contract for five future flights in support of a Navy hypersonics program.
The company on Tuesday announced the contract with Leidos, prime contractor for the Navy’s Multiservice Advanced Capability Test Bed (MACH-TB) program. The contract is funded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center.
The flights will use Stratolaunch’s Talon-A vehicle as a high-cadence, high-speed test bed to advance hypersonic development, according to a Stratolaunch release announcing the award.
Launched to speeds of Mach 5 or greater from the twin-fuselage carrier aircraft known as Roc, the unmanned Talon-A vehicles will carry various experimental payloads as a platform for hypersonic flight test.
The first Talon-A vehicle is an expendable configuration. The next generation of Talon-A vehicles will be capable of reusable hypersonic flight.
This reusability is considered an important factor to enable more rapid turnaround between hypersonic flight tests. The approach allows for repeatability, iterative testing and quicker hypersonic development.
“We’re excited for the opportunity for Talon-A flights to support the goals of the MACH-TB program and to deepen our partnership with the Dynetics team. The Stratolaunch team is persistently committed to the advancement of hypersonic capabilities for our nation,” CEO Zachary Krevor said in the release.
“Leidos is delighted to have Stratolaunch join the team that’s working to provide fast and affordable hypersonic
flight test capabilities to the nation. Using air launch and the Talon-A reusable vehicle offers unique opportunities to advance the maturity of hypersonic technologies,” Leidos Program Manager Andy Crocker said in the release.
Preparations for the first powered flight of the Talon-A test bed are underway, with the first taxi test with a fully fueled vehicle attached to the carrier aircraft completed on Nov. 21, according to Stratolaunch’s social media accounts.
Once envisioned as an air launch platform for sending small satellites and payloads into orbit, Stratolaunch has since directed its energy to developing a hypersonic testbed, using the behemoth aircraft as an air launch platform. The firm is developing the Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle to fly from Roc.
Hypersonic refers to speeds in excess of Mach 5 and is a frontier that researchers have been striving to effectively employ for decades. The field has gained traction in recent years, with projects in development on a number of fronts.
The rocket-powered, autonomous and reusable Talon-A test bed vehicles may carry customizable payloads, enabling scientific research, technology development and component demonstration at hypersonic speeds.