Stratolaunch secures USD 24.7 million contract from Missile Defense Agency for hypersonic flight testing

By Defence Industry Europe

Stratolaunch, a leading American aerospace company, has been awarded a USD 24.7 million contract by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to advance national defence capabilities through hypersonic flight testing. This agreement highlights the critical role of Stratolaunch's technology in addressing emerging global threats posed by hypersonic weapons.

 

Central to this project is the modification of Stratolaunch’s Spirit of Mojave, a 747-based launch platform, which will enable its Talon-A test vehicle to expand flight operations beyond the U.S. western coast. This development allows Stratolaunch to conduct tests in diverse global locations, demonstrating advanced capabilities for missile defence systems.

The flight test campaign, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025, aims to validate new defensive technologies against the unique challenges of hypersonic threats. These threats are characterised by their extraordinary speed, unpredictable trajectories, and low-altitude flight paths, which make them particularly difficult to detect and intercept.

Dr. Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch’s President and CEO, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This mission will enhance our national security posture, enabling rapid testing of new missile defence architectures designed to defend against hypersonic threats.” He emphasised the company’s commitment to providing operational flexibility, noting that Talon-A launches can now originate from any airport capable of accommodating a 747.

 

 

Michael Kryzak, MDA’s Director of Systems, Targets, and Countermeasures, acknowledged the strategic importance of this collaboration. “We are pleased to partner with Stratolaunch to test our defensive architecture against these potential threats,” he said, underscoring the urgency of addressing the evolving global threat landscape.

The project is funded through the MDA’s Innovation, Science & Technology Broad Agency Announcement for fiscal year 2024. Modification work on the Spirit of Mojave platform will be conducted at Stratolaunch’s headquarters in Mojave, California, reinforcing the company’s leadership in cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

 

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