Stratolaunch has reached a new milestone in reusable hypersonic flight, completing two successful missions with its Talon-A vehicle under the U.S. Department of Defence’s MACH-TB program. The California-based firm confirmed that the autonomous testbed reached speeds above Mach 5 and recovered intact after both tests, a first in U.S. hypersonic flight history.
According to Stratolaunch CEO Zachary Krevor, the two flights, conducted in December 2024 and March 2025, met all performance benchmarks within a 1% margin.
“For the first one or two times going into the hypersonic regime, especially as we’re going faster, it’s a pretty incredible accomplishment,” Krevor is reported to have said.
First Fully Autonomous, Recoverable Hypersonic Vehicle
Recovery of the Talon-A, specifically its TA-2 variant, marks a significant advancement. The U.S. has not fielded a recoverable hypersonic platform since the X-15 program ended in the 1960s, and never before with full autonomy.
This capability allowed Stratolaunch’s government customer, the Test Resource Management Center, to retrieve payload data immediately after flight. Reusability is expected to drastically reduce the cost of hypersonic testing, with Krevor stating it will be “orders of magnitude” cheaper over time.
The MACH-TB (Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Testbed) initiative is part of the Pentagon’s broader effort to boost hypersonic flight testing.
Stratolaunch’s Talon-A, powered by Ursa Major’s Hadley engine, joins Rocket Lab’s HASTE and Kratos’ Erinyes in this mission to create flight environments that mimic the extreme conditions of hypersonic travel.
Talon-A Booked Through 2025, More Tests Ahead
Stratolaunch has committed to five MACH-TB missions and will also support a Missile Defence Agency test later in 2025. The company has already filled its flight manifest for the year and begun booking slots into 2026, though customer details remain undisclosed.
Krevor said early tests are focused on expanding Talon-A’s flight envelope, flying faster, executing more complex manoeuvres, and sustaining hypersonic speeds for longer durations.
While a specific date has not been released, the next Talon-A flight is scheduled for the current quarter, likely before the end of June. Stratolaunch teams are currently analysing March flight data to assess system performance and refine the vehicle’s capabilities.
Later this year, the company expects to shift its focus to increasing launch cadence.
Stratolaunch is also preparing a second launch platform, a modified Boeing 747 dubbed the Spirit of Mojave, to complement its primary carrier aircraft, Roc. The 747 is expected to begin flight operations by summer or autumn, offering greater flexibility for future missions.
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