There was another celebration at Stratolaunch’s facilities during the weekend. The company conducted the third-ever test flight of its ambitious Roc carrier aircraft. This move is another milestone in the firm’s hypersonic innovations.

Another success

Founded in 2011, Statolaunch Systems produces and operates hypersonic testbeds. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, but its groundbreaking flights are conducted in the Mojave Desert. The firm is determined to innovate in flight research and testing programs as it feels that these initiatives are critical to developing emerging hypersonic tech into operational systems.

Also known as the Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch, Roc first flew on April 13th, 2019. The twin-boom build is powered by six engines and is a whopping 117 meters (385 feet) wide. This figure means that the aircraft has the widest wingspan in the world.

The plane conducted its third test flight yesterday. It flew for four hours and 23 minutes over the Mojave Desert after taking off at 08:47. The aircraft reached an altitude of 7162.8 meters (23,500 feet) at an indicated airspeed of 180 knots.

Part of the broader strategy

As a result of the test, the company is edging closer to reaching its hypersonic goals. Stratolaunch notes that the flight helps the Roc carrier to aid launches of Talon-A, its upcoming hypersonic testbed.

Talon-A is a Mach 6-class vehicle that has been designed to make hypersonic testing more frequent. Stratolaunch describes it as a flexible, rapid testbed that will be integral in the mission for hypersonic experiments, research, and operations.

Overall, there is plenty to shout about following this third test. Factors such as the ongoing validation of the carrier's performance at high speeds and altitudes are crucial to the process. Moreover, the flight helps Stratolaunch validate sections of the aircraft like the left mid-main gear, including door operations.

“Today’s successful flight demonstrates and validates improvements to the carrier aircraft’s systems and overall flight performance. We will take the data we gathered today and continue to advance the aircraft’s operational performance to support hypersonic testing in 2022,” shared Stratolaunch president and CEO Dr. Zachary Krevor in a company statement.

“The partial gear retraction seen during today’s 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. We’ll review the data and determine when we can get back into the air to continue advancing our unique, hypersonic architecture.”

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Significant potential

Altogether, it's not just Stratolaunch that will be keeping a close eye on these recent developments. The company has partnerships with influential groups across the United States. For example, just last month, it signed a hypersonic research agreement with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

There has been a recent wave of hypersonic projects emerging. Just last summer, Atlanta, Georgia-based Hermeus received $60 million in funding from the United States Air Force (USAF) and several investors to develop the first reusable hypersonic plane flying at 3,000 mph (4,800 km/h). Even global powerhouses such as Boeing have been exploring the field.

Following Statolaunch’s continued testing, defense systems may look significantly different in the coming years. The company will be looking forward to additional breakthroughs this year.

What are your thoughts about the Roc carrier’s third test flight? What do you make of the company’s operations since its founding? Let us know what your overall thoughts are in the comment section.