Largest air carrier performs third flight test
Stratolaunch has completed the third test flight of "Roc", the world’s largest aircraft, with a 117 m wingspan. The aircraft took off exactly ten days ago, on 16 January 2022, at 8.47 h PST and flew for 4 hours, 23 minutes over the Mojave Desert. It reached an altitude of 7,162.8 m at an indicated air speed of 180 knots.
This flight further prepared the carrier aircraft to support launches of its upcoming hypersonic testbed vehicle, Talon-A. Launched from the Roc carrier aircraft, Talon-A vehicles are rocket-powered, autonomous, reusable testbeds carrying customisable payloads at speeds above Mach 5. It features a length of 8.5 m, a wingspan of 3.4 m and a launch weight of approximately 2,722 kg.
Read other heavylift/breakbulk news in the upcoming ITJ 05-08/2022, out next Friday, 28 January! (ah)