MOJAVE, Calif., Jan. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/
-- Stratolaunch LLC is excited to announce the successful
completion of its third Roc carrier aircraft test flight on
Jan. 16, 2022. Roc is the world's
largest aircraft, with a 385 ft. wingspan.
The aircraft took off at 8:47 a.m.
PST and flew for 4 hours, 23 minutes over the
Mojave Desert. It reached an altitude of 23,500 feet
(7162.8 m) at an indicated air speed
of 180 knots. This flight further prepared the carrier aircraft to
support launches of its upcoming hypersonic testbed
vehicle, Talon-A.
Launched from the Roc carrier aircraft, Talon-A vehicles are
rocket-powered, autonomous, reusable testbeds carrying customizable
payloads at speeds above Mach 5. This capability enables routine
access to the hypersonic flight environment, which is critical for
scientific research, technological development, and component
demonstration.
Initial results of the test objectives achieved include:
- Continued evaluation of the aircraft's performance and
handling characteristics at increased speeds and
altitude
- Validation of the left mid-main gear
operations including door operations, and alternate gear
extension of the left mid-main gear
"Today's successful flight demonstrates and validates
improvements to the carrier aircraft's systems and overall flight
performance," said Dr.
Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch President and Chief
Operating Officer. "We will take the data we gathered and continue
to advance the aircraft's operational performance to support
hypersonic testing in 2022."
"The partial gear retraction seen during the flight is a
graduated approach to building confidence in the landing gear
and gear door hardware. Testing the left main landing
gear individually mitigated risk and provided our
aircrew with options for landing the aircraft in the
event the hardware didn't perform as
expected," Krevor said. "We'll review the data and
determine when we can get back into the air to continue advancing
our unique, hypersonic architecture."
In addition to testing the carrier aircraft, the team continues
to make incredible strides in building its first two Talon-A test
vehicles, TA-0 and TA-1.
TA-1 completed its initial power-on
testing in late December 2021,
keeping the company on track to begin hypersonic flight testing in
2022 and to deliver services to government and commercial customers
in 2023.
About Stratolaunch
Stratolaunch's mission is to advance high-speed technology
through innovative design, manufacturing, and operation of
world-class aerospace vehicles. For the latest news and
information, visit www.stratolaunch.com and follow us
on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
and Instagram.
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SOURCE Stratolaunch