Military Embedded Systems

Hypersonic flight test research goal of Stratolaunch contract with AFRL

News

January 26, 2022

Emma Helfrich

Technology Editor

Military Embedded Systems

Stratolaunch photo.

MOJAVE, Calif. Stratolaunch, an aerospace company that provides high-speed flight test services, has announced a research contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) involving hypersonic flight tests.

According to the company, Stratolaunch, under partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton, is on contract with AFRL to examine and assess the feasibility of hypersonic flight tests of a wide range of Air Force experiments and payloads on a frequent and routine basis.

Stratolaunch supports national security objectives for hypersonic offensive and defensive weapons development through the design, manufacturing, and operation of a fleet of reusable hypersonic aerospace vehicles air-launched from its globally deployable carrier aircraft, Roc.

The company also plans to augment existing Department of Defense (DoD) flight test resources through affordable, commercially contracted, rapid-turnaround hypersonic flight testing for the DoD and its prime contractor partners.