World’s largest airplane flies again for Stratolaunch’s second captive-carry flight
Stratolaunch, the air-launch company founded by the late Seattle software billionaire Paul Allen, today conducted its second captive-carry test flight with the world’s largest airplane and a piggyback payload. The six-hour outing from California’s Mojave Air and Space Port marked further progress toward the first launch of the Talon-A hypersonic flight vehicle.
Today’s flight gave Stratolaunch’s team a chance to rehearse procedures for releasing a separation test vehicle from the 385-foot-wide Roc aircraft in midflight — and eventually launching rocket-powered Talon-A vehicles for government and commercial applications. “We are excited for what’s ahead this year as we bring out hypersonic flight test service online for our customers and the nation,” Stratolaunch CEO Zachary Krevor said in a news release.
Allen’s holding company, Vulcan Inc., transferred ownership of Stratolaunch to Cerberus Capital Management in 2019.
Roc completed its flight at 2:51 p.m. setting a new record for the longest flight to date at six hours and marking our first time flying outside of the Mojave range! pic.twitter.com/w3FaG9ABkV
— Stratolaunch (@Stratolaunch) January 13, 2023
More from GeekWire:
Air Force Research Lab agrees to support Stratolaunch’s first hypersonic flight test
Stratolaunch ascends to new heights with successful test of world’s biggest airplane
Stratolaunch’s huge airplane aces its third flight test, building on Paul Allen’s legacy
Stratolaunch celebrates Star Wars Day with fifth flight of its giant airplane, featuring a new pylon