Stratolaunch unveils test aircraft before hypersonic flights

California-based aerospace company Stratolaunch announced that it has developed a prototype of the Talon-A hypersonic aircraft, which will be launched 10 km above the ground, named Roc, the world’s largest aircraft. Talon-A’s prototype, called TA-0, will be used to test Roc’s release system.

There will be no engine in the prototype

The double-bodied, 28-wheeled Roc with six Boeing 747 engines in total, has the title of the world’s largest aircraft with a wingspan of 117 meters. The prototype TA-0 developed, however, weighs around 3 tons and takes up about 4 meters of the Roc’s 29-metre center wingspan.

The TA-0 will not include any engine, as the Roc’s release system from the underside of the center wing will be evaluated in tests this year.

Company After completing the TA-0 release test, work will begin to fly the first hypersonic test vehicle, the TA-1. The team has also started production of the first fully reusable hypersonic test vehicle, the TA-2.