Successful separation test 

Stratolaunch LLC announces that the company has successfully completed the separation test of the Talon-A separation test vehicle, TA-0. The flight was the eleventh for the company's Roc carrier aircraft and launch platform and the second time the team has conducted flight operations in the Western Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base off the central California coast. With this historic test, the team is making progress toward the first hypersonic flight of the TA-1 in late summer 2023.

4 hours and 8 minutes of flight time 

The flight, which lasted a total of 4 hours and 8 minutes, mitigated risk by demonstrating that the Talon-A launch system can safely and cleanly separate hypersonic vehicles from the Roc center pylon without coming into contact with or damaging the carrier aircraft. The test also confirmed telemetry between the vehicles and the Vandenberg Space Base communications assets, ensuring backup telemetry collection in future hypersonic flight tests. 

First TA-1 hypersonic flight planned for late summer 2023 

On completion of this historic test, the team will progress to the first hypersonic flight of the TA-1 expendable testbed in late summer 2023. "Today's test was outstanding," said Zachary  Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch president and CEO. "It was  exhilarating to see the TA-0 fly safely away from Roc, and I congratulate our team and partners. I congratulate our team and partners. Our hardware and data collection systems worked as planned, and we are now on the verge of hypersonic flight."