Talon-A is fully autonomous and air-launched. It is designed for government and commercial hypersonic testing.
The aircraft can fly faster than Mach 5. It returns to a standard runway after its mission.
Stratolaunch says the vehicle can be recovered, refurbished and reused. That model is intended to cut turnaround time and flight cost.
The company said each flight had no onboard crew. It also said no human was in the control loop.
The flights gathered data on aerodynamics, propulsion and thermal protection. They also collected data on advanced flight controls.
Stratolaunch said the program supports the Department of War TRMC MACH-TB effort. MACH-TB stands for Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed.
The company said Talon-A has flown multiple missions with one vehicle. That supports its plan for faster refurbishment and redeployment.
Stratolaunch said legacy hypersonic testing remains costly and limited. It says Talon-A can support more frequent flight access.
The company now has two carrier aircraft and two Talon-A vehicles. It says this supports routine and on-demand hypersonic flights.
Its Boeing 747-400, Spirit of Mojave, has completed refurbishment. The aircraft now operates as a Talon launch platform.
“We are transforming hypersonic testing from a rare event into a routine service, empowering our customers to innovate at unprecedented speed,” said Dr. Zachary Krevor, CEO and President of Stratolaunch.
Stratolaunch plans more flights using reusable Talon vehicles. It also plans wider launch range operations.
The company says the effort will support high-speed aerospace development. It is also working on next-generation hypersonic vehicles.
Stratolaunch said it continues to seek new partnerships worldwide. Target sectors include defense, aerospace and research organizations.
