Stratolaunch got bargain as this 747 is already setup for air launching a LOX Rp1 LV. Cheaper to fly and maintain 747 plus it gives spare aircraft. If anything had happened to Roc they would've been stuffed.
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 05/25/2023 07:35 pm Stratolaunch got bargain as this 747 is already setup for air launching a LOX Rp1 LV. Cheaper to fly and maintain 747 plus it gives spare aircraft. If anything had happened to Roc they would've been stuffed.Since Stratolaunch is acquiring the 747 Cosmic Girl, the pylon below the left wing of the aircraft is to be replaced by a new pylon for the Talon-A spaceplane.
Doesn’t this make ROC rather redundant as this 747 looks a much better fit for their current needs especially the size of vehicle they are currently testing.
Quote from: Star One on 05/26/2023 09:47 amDoesn’t this make ROC rather redundant as this 747 looks a much better fit for their current needs especially the size of vehicle they are currently testing.Seems like it. ROC is way oversized for Talon A.
For the 1st time as an integrated system, Roc and TA-1 headed outside today ahead of #HurricaneHilary to do some ground tests, including fueling part of TA-1’s propulsion system. TA-1 will be our first powered #hypersonic vehicle, anticipated to fly in the coming months. #LetsRoc
🔥 footage — the Hadley engine has been busy with our partners at @Stratolaunch, who are hotfire testing in anticipation of their vehicle’s first hypersonic flight attempt later this year.
Only July 20 Cosmic Girl left Long Beach and arrived at Lake Charles, Chennault International Airport: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n744vg#31391d7aSentinel-2 satellite imagery from July 22 shows a white & red 747 outside of a hangar owned by https://www.citadelcompletions.com/about/. The next image on July 27 shows no sign of the 747, so it's probably inside the hangar (as one would expect).Now I guess we see what comes out the other end
Stratolaunch Announces Contract with U.S. Air Force Research LaboratoryMOJAVE, CA – October 12, 2023– Stratolaunch, LLC announces a contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to support the first flight test of the company’s second reusable Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle, TA-3.Launched from Roc, the world’s largest flying aircraft, Talon-A vehicles are rocket-powered, autonomous testbeds with the ability to fly a variety of hypersonic flight profiles while carrying customized payload experiments on board. Stratolaunch announced its first contract with AFRL in late 2022 supporting its first flight of TA-1, an expendable configuration of the Talon-A product line.Reusability is an important factor enabling an increase in the cadence of hypersonic testing. Stratolaunch’s repeatable approach enables rapid, iterative testing, increasing the pace of access to the hypersonic environment while reducing development cost, schedule, and risk.
Quote from: harrystranger on 07/30/2023 01:04 pmOnly July 20 Cosmic Girl left Long Beach and arrived at Lake Charles, Chennault International Airport: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n744vg#31391d7aSentinel-2 satellite imagery from July 22 shows a white & red 747 outside of a hangar owned by https://www.citadelcompletions.com/about/. The next image on July 27 shows no sign of the 747, so it's probably inside the hangar (as one would expect).Now I guess we see what comes out the other end Cosmic Girl (or whatever Stratolaunch will call her) went for a 4hr flight yesterday, the first since arrived at Lake Charles.https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n744vg#326532c0
Launched from Roc, the world’s largest flying aircraft, Talon-A vehicles are rocket-powered, autonomous testbeds with the ability to fly a variety of hypersonic flight profiles while carrying customized payload experiments on board. Stratolaunch announced its first contract with AFRL in late 2022 supporting its first flight of TA-1, an expendable configuration of the Talon-A product line.Reusability is an important factor enabling an increase in the cadence of hypersonic testing. Stratolaunch’s repeatable approach enables rapid, iterative testing, increasing the pace of access to the hypersonic environment while reducing development cost, schedule, and risk.
We're pleased to announce a flight test contract award from @LeidosInc the prime contractor for the @USNavy Multiservice Advanced Capability Test Bed (MACH-TB), funded by @NAVSEACrane. The contract award funds five Talon-A hypersonic flights and optional payloads. Read more:
PRESS RELEASES November 28, 2023Stratolaunch Awarded Flight Test Contract for the Navy’s MACH-TB Hypersonic ProgramSource: StratolaunchMOJAVE, CA – November 28, 2023 – Stratolaunch, LLC announces the receipt of a flight test contract award from Leidos, the prime contractor for the Navy’s Multiservice Advanced Capability Test Bed (MACH-TB). The contract award is funded by Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division through the Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA). This contract award funds five Talon-A hypersonic flights and optional payloads.NSWC Crane’s MACH-TB program focuses on hypersonic flight testing using robust, agile, and modular approaches. The Leidos-led team intends to deliver an affordable solution, leveraging commercial launch vehicles, including Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic vehicle, for flight testing hypersonic payloads. The data collected is designed to provide insight to the DoD on technology improvement and capability validation. Early, affordable, and regular hypersonic flight testing is key to robust and successful developments of hypersonic capabilities.Stratolaunch’s Talon-A, a reusable autonomous hypersonic vehicle, operates as a high-cadence, high-speed testbed to advance the MACH-TB program development. Stratolaunch’s hypersonic contractor-owned and operated flight test service directly complements the goals of MACH-TB.QuoteWe’re excited for the opportunity for Talon-A flights to support the goals of the MACH-TB program and to deepen our partnership with the Dynetics team. The Stratolaunch team is persistently committed to the advancement of hypersonic capabilities for our nation.Dr. Zachary KrevorPresident and CEO of StratolaunchQuoteLeidos is delighted to have Stratolaunch join the team that’s working to provide fast and affordable hypersonic flight test capabilities to the nation. Using air launch and the Talon-A reusable vehicle offers unique opportunities to advance the maturity of hypersonic technologies.Andy CrockerLeidos Program Manager for MACH-TB
We’re excited for the opportunity for Talon-A flights to support the goals of the MACH-TB program and to deepen our partnership with the Dynetics team. The Stratolaunch team is persistently committed to the advancement of hypersonic capabilities for our nation.
Leidos is delighted to have Stratolaunch join the team that’s working to provide fast and affordable hypersonic flight test capabilities to the nation. Using air launch and the Talon-A reusable vehicle offers unique opportunities to advance the maturity of hypersonic technologies.
Today we completed a captive carry flight with the first powered Talon-A hypersonic vehicle. The completion of this test represents a significant step toward our first powered flight of TA-1. Read more: buff.ly/47G2aLY #LetsRoc #flighttest
PRESS RELEASES December 3, 2023Stratolaunch Successfully Completes Captive Carry Flight with TA-1 Test VehicleSource: StratolaunchMOJAVE, CA – Dec. 3, 2023 – Stratolaunch, LLC announces the completion of a captive carry flight with the first powered Talon-A hypersonic vehicle, TA-1. The flight was the twelfth for the company’s launch platform Roc and the first in which the aircraft carried a Talon vehicle with live propellant as part of a buildup approach for Talon-A’s first powered flight.The flight lasted a total of three hours and 22 minutes and represented a significant step forward in the company’s near-term goal of completing a powered flight with the Talon-A vehicle, TA-1. A primary objective was to evaluate Talon-A’s propulsion system and the Talon environments while carrying live propellant. A second objective was to verify Roc and TA-1’s telemetry systems, which provides the situational awareness to ensure all systems are ready for powered flight during the release sequence.“Talon-A’s propulsion system supports a liquid-propellant rocket engine that provides the thrust needed for Talon-A to reach hypersonic speeds. While we have conducted several successful ground tests fueling and igniting the system, we needed to evaluate how the system performs in the flight environment prior to release,” said Dr. Zachary Krevor, Chief Executive Officer for Stratolaunch. “Initial results from today’s flight show that the system has performed as predicted, and we will determine our next steps pending the full data review of the test.”Concurrent to TA-1 testing, Stratolaunch is progressing on the manufacturing of the TA-2 and TA-3 vehicles, the first fully reusable vehicles in that Talon-A product line. In addition to meeting this key test milestone, the company also recently announced two flight contracts with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and the Navy’s Multiservice Advanced Capability Test Bed (MACH-TB) program as a subcontractor to Leidos/Dynetics.“It’s an exciting time for our team and customers as we grow closer to bringing our test service online. We’re moving faster into the future of high-speed flight, and I’m proud of our team’s tenacity to reach this point.”Dr. Zachary KrevorPresident and CEO of Stratolaunch
The Spirit of Mojave returns to its home at Mojave Air and Space Port.
Welcome home to our newest addition to the air launch fleet, The Spirit of Mojave. The modified 747 was named by the Stratolaunch employees as a tribute to the passion of the Mojave aerospace community that has built and tested some of the world’s most unique aircraft. The Spirit of Mojave symbolizes expanded capability and reach to execute our hypersonic test mission. The aircraft spend a small amount of time on the ground to receive modifications for its new mission and is expected to be operational in the first half of 2024.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA-VANDENBERG-HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS-STATOLAUNCHHazardous operations will be conducted by Stratolaunch and the Western Range W9358 from 7:00am (1500Z) until 1:00pm (2100Z). Recurring daily on 10, 11, and 12 February 2024. Hazardous operation areas are bounded by the following coordinates:Hazard Area:34-25-01N 122-36-00W34-24-00N 122-42-00W35-28-01N 123-16-01W36-05-10N 123-28-01W36-15-07N 123-26-02W36-13-59N 123-02-02W35-51-00N 122-28-59W35-13-01N 121-54-00W34-25-01N 122-36-00W(CLOSING THE FIRST POINT)Mariners are advised to remain clear of these areas for the duration of operations. For more details or comments contact Stratolaunch at [email protected] and 661-584-2365 or on VHF-FM Chan. 06 or 16 during mission.
