Stratolaunch Gears Up for Alleged In-Flight Release Test of Talon Hypersonic Testbed
On Thursday, October 13, 2022, a tip from a highly experienced spotter in the U.S. led TheAviationist to Mojave Air & Space Port, where they discovered “Roc,” the one-of-a-kind Stratolaunch and the world’s largest aircraft, outside its enormous hangar. The following day, its engines were observed running, and the massive, dual-fuselage, six-engine plane had been relocated far from its hangar.
“Roc,” the colossal Stratolaunch carrier aircraft at Mojave Air & Space Port.
According to further reliable sources familiar with the Stratolaunch project, the plane is being readied for an upcoming test flight, which is said to involve the separation drop-test of an unmanned Talon-A hypersonic mock-up, referred to as “Talon-0” for this alleged forthcoming test.
Stratolaunch was seen carrying what is believed to be a drop-test mock-up of the Talon-A reusable, hypersonic launch vehicle.
A source close to the project informed TheAviationist that the aircraft might be prepared for flight within “two to three weeks.”
Stratolaunch was pushed back with engines running on Friday, October 14, 2022.
The sighting of Stratolaunch prompted a flurry of unfounded rumors that the aircraft might perform a fly-over at the 2022 Aerospace Valley Open House, Air Show, and STEM Expo at Edwards Air Force Base, just south of Stratolaunch’s location. The event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 15 & 16. One schedule distributed to media at the show is said to showcase the Talon-A hypersonic unmanned test vehicle. However, air show organizers made no official mention of Stratolaunch.
Ground crew members were seen inspecting Stratolaunch’s engines on Thursday, October 13, 2022.
When the source close to Stratolaunch was asked if the plane would appear at Edwards AFB, they responded, “We can’t. We don’t have the appropriate flight certification for a demonstration.”
The alleged upcoming flight of Stratolaunch in “two to three weeks” was described to TheAviationist as a test of how the reusable Talon-A unmanned hypersonic vehicle will separate from the Stratolaunch launch aircraft. The source informed us that “The Talon-0 is an accurate representation of the weight, C.G. [center of gravity], and aerodynamic properties of the Talon-1. It even has a system for pumping fluid to simulate fuel flow.”
According to our source, when Stratolaunch takes to the skies again, it will be its eighth flight. The enormous dual-fuselage launch platform aircraft has a wingspan of 117 meters or 385 feet. It is powered by six Pratt & Whitney PW4000 jet engines repurposed from two Boeing 747s. The plane’s landing gear is also repurposed from 747 aircraft. It is constructed almost entirely of advanced composites, including carbon fiber.
Stratolaunch can transport and deploy up to three orbital vehicles for drop-launching on their journey into orbit. The launch concept competes with other commercial space payload launch concepts, such as SpaceX, which collaborated with Stratolaunch until 2012.