Stratolaunch has been selected to join a Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) team to demonstrate airborne test asset capability by tracking the first Talon-A hypersonic flight.
TRMC is dedicated to ensuring US Department of Defense Components have the right T&E (Test and Evaluation) infrastructure.
The SkyRange programme, led by Integration Innovation Inc (i3), is developing, operating, and integrating advanced sensors and capabilities for a fleet of air-vehicle systems that will support hypersonic test and evaluation.
The SkyRange programme will demonstrate capability of its airborne test assets by tracking the first Stratolaunch Talon-A hypersonic flight
The programme's test architecture includes both MQ-9 Reapers and RQ-4 Global Hawks allowing for a broad range of data capture on a variety of mission scenarios that will enable decision-making for high-speed system testing and fielding. This capability will increase national high-speed systems flight test capabilities and frequency, and ultimately enable leap-ahead technologies for aircraft.
Stratolaunch's hypersonic flight test service is centred around its Talon-A, a reusable autonomous hypersonic testbed vehicle which provides a flexible test architecture for hypersonic flights and experimentation.
During the Talon-A's maiden hypersonic flight, it will operate as a high-speed vehicle, which TRMC SkyRange assets will acquire, track, and otherwise support to validate developmental instrumentation payloads.
"We're excited for the opportunity to provide the SkyRange programme an operational application with our first Talon-A hypersonic flight," said Zachary Krevor, president and chief executive officer for Stratolaunch. "This mutually beneficial partnership will increase the pace and reduce cost of testing, which is critical to hypersonic system technology development."
