Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER to expand its carrier-aircraft fleet for Talon-A hypersonic flight testing from Mojave, California. The widebody will be modified to air-launch Talon-A from its fuselage, with the conversion due to be completed in 2027 and overall flight capacity expected to rise by about 35%.
The aircraft joins Roc and Spirit of Mojave, giving Stratolaunch three carrier platforms for its reusable hypersonic test programme. The company has positioned the extra jet to improve launch readiness, support parallel missions and widen its ability to operate from different regions as demand for test capacity grows.
Talon-A is lifted to altitude by a carrier aircraft before release, serving as a reusable first stage for hypersonic testing. Stratolaunch has not disclosed the purchase price or the aircraft’s previous operator, but the addition extends the company’s flight-test infrastructure at a time when it is scaling its autonomous hypersonic work and looking to increase mission flexibility.