Stratolaunch dropped-launched the Talon-A hypersonic glider

(Stratolaunch / Christian Turner https://prn.to/3pP7s6P)

Stratolaunch conducted a successful test drop of the Talon-A hypersonic glider prototype from the wing of a twin-fuselage carrier aircraft.

During the flight, telemetry data collection was also practiced in anticipation of the first hypersonic test.

California-based Stratolaunch is famous for its Scaled Composites Model 351 aircraft, also called the Stratolaunch Roc, after the mythical Roc.

The aircraft, which made its first flight in 2019, has two fuselages and six engines. Its wingspan is 117.3 meters, which makes it the largest in the world in this indicator.

Initially, it was supposed to act as a launch platform for the air launch of Pegasus X orbital rockets, as well as rockets of Stratolaunch's own design.

However, after the death of its founder Paul Allen, the company changed the concept, completely abandoning orbital launches and concentrating on the development of a research hypersonic glider.

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THE TEST
The airframe project named Talon-A was first presented in 2021. Its weight is 2.7 tons. The length is 8.5 meters, and the wingspan is 3.4 meters.

The rocket engine in the tail section should accelerate the device to six Machs.

However, the first prototype with the TA-0 index does not have an engine on board and is intended for testing attachments to an aircraft and test drops from a height.

The Roc first flew with the TA-0 prototype attached to a pylon under the center wing section in October 2022.

On May 13, 2023, during the eleventh flight of Stratolaunch Roc, which lasted 4 hours and 8 minutes, the first test reset of the TA-0 airframe was performed.

The test was successful and confirmed the possibility of safely separating the hypersonic vehicle from the air launch platform.

The flight over Vandenberg also tested the collection of telemetry data ahead of the upcoming first hypersonic flight.

Now the company will prepare for the first test hypersonic flight of the second prototype with the TA-1 index, which is scheduled to take place in the second half of the summer of 2023.

Sources:

• Space.com: https://www.space.com/stratolaunch-roc-hypersonic-vehicle-first-drop-test
• Air&Cosmos: https://aircosmosinternational.com/article/stratolaunch-successfully-completes-talon-a-vehicle-separation-test-3838

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