May 7, 2025 - Technology

Stratolaunch goes hypersonic with reusable Talon-A vehicle

Colin Demarest

A hypersonic vehicle is slung beneath a larger aircraft. The sun is setting in the background. — The Talon-A vehicle. Photo: Courtesy of Stratolaunch/via Northrop Grumman

Two hypersonic flight tests were completed mere months apart using the same autonomous vehicle, a milestone for the U.S. as it jockeys with other world powers for speedy, maneuverable weapons.

Why it matters: The Talon-A flights handled by Stratolaunch contribute to the Pentagon's Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed program (MACH-TB).

The U.S. has lacked a recoverable hypersonic aircraft for decades, since the X-15 was ditched.

What they're saying: "We've now demonstrated hypersonic speed, added the complexity of a full runway landing with prompt payload recovery, and proven reusability," Stratolaunch CEO Zachary Krevor said in an announcement.

In both instances, Talon-A launched from a larger aircraft known as Roc and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

What we're hearing: There are additional chefs in the kitchen. Leidos, for example, oversees MACH-TB.

Northrop Grumman tested its Advanced Hypersonic Technology Inertial Measurement Unit aboard Talon-A. The company said it collected "hours of critical ground and flight data."
Ursa Major's Hadley engine sustained the speeds. CEO Dan Jablonsky in March told Axios the company is pouring money into "hypersonics, hypersonics and hypersonics."

Go deeper: Zumwalt paving the way for U.S. Navy hypersonic weapons

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Stratolaunch goes hypersonic with reusable Talon-A vehicle

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