Successful Test of the Experimental Hypersonic Vehicle Talon-A1, Approaching Mach 5

Stratolaunch, founded by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, successfully conducted a major test flight with its Talon-A1 (T-A1) hypersonic vehicle prototype on March 9.


Conducted from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, this test marked a significant step towards Stratolaunch's goal of launching hypersonic vehicles from a giant carrier aircraft. The T-A1 was released from Roc, Stratolaunch's carrier aircraft, from an altitude exceeding 20,000 feet before its Hadley rocket engine, built by Ursa Major, activated to propel the vehicle to hypersonic speeds.

According to Zachary Krevor, president of Stratolaunch, the flight successfully achieved supersonic speeds close to Mach 5. This allowed the collection of valuable data for Stratolaunch customers. The Hadley engine performed as expected, propelling the vehicle for about 200 seconds.


Roc, currently the world's widest aircraft, made its maiden flight in April 2019. It weighs roughly 500,000 pounds. Stratolaunch's primary goals for the T-A1 test included the vehicle's safe release, successful engine ignition, acceleration to Mach 5, altitude maintenance, and a controlled water landing.

This success paves the way for future tests with TA-2, aimed at reusable flight. Moreover, the company is developing a second aerial launch platform, the Spirit of Mojave, a modified Boeing 747-400.


Following Paul Allen's death in 2018, Stratolaunch was acquired by Cerberus Capital Management, which relocated the company's operations from Seattle to the Mojave Air and Space Port, now focusing on hypersonic vehicles.