Stratolaunch has completed its critical design review for its Talon-A hypersonic test vehicles. It is a multidisciplinary technical review to ensure systems meet specified performance requirements.

The completion of the review is in line with its timeline to begin hypersonic flight testing in 2022 and deliver services to customers by 2023. Launched from Stratolaunch's Roc carrier aircraft, the Talon-A is a rocket-propelled, autonomous, reusable testbed carrying customisable payloads at speeds over Mach 5. It claims that this enables routine access to the hypersonic flight environment which is critical for scientific research, technological development and component demonstration.

Stratolaunch has implemented a rapid-prototyping approach for its Talon-A vehicles. The initial airframe assembly process has been completed and the subsystems installation has begun in anticipation of functional testing in early 2022.

A key element for its approach is its mobile, multi-vehicle carrier aircraft, the Roc. The world's largest aircraft is a revolutionary launch platform for hypersonic vehicles and is critical to eliminating technical and logistical barriers that prevent routine hypersonic testing.

Stratolaunch has completed two test flights and plans on completing additional flight tests. Following the test flights, it will focus on pylon installation for the Talon-A vehicles, while continuing to expand the flight envelope of the Roc carrier aircraft.

"The progress we've made is phenomenal," says Brandon Wood, Hypersonics Program Director. "We have a world-class engineering team, and this successful CDR is a demonstration of their talent. Our Talon-A design and revolutionary launch capability can transform the hypersonic field and make testing dramatically more accessible and effective."