Overview

• The Stratolaunch Talon-A vehicle completed two successful test flights, reaching speeds exceeding Mach 5 and returning to Vandenberg Space Force Base for recovery.
• These flights, conducted under the Department of Defense’s MACH-TB program, represent the U.S.'s first reusable hypersonic tests since the 1960s X-15 program.
• The tests validated Northrop Grumman’s inertial measurement unit, designed for precise navigation in GPS-denied environments, under extreme hypersonic conditions.
• The MACH-TB initiative aims to accelerate hypersonic innovation through collaboration between the DoD, industry, and academia, reducing turnaround times for test vehicles from months to weeks.
• Stratolaunch is developing next-generation hypersonic platforms, including the Talon-Z and Black Ice spaceplane, to expand capabilities for payload delivery and future missions.