Aviation News – Stratolaunch has successfully supported a new US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) hypersonic flight test using its Talon-A3 test vehicle, launched from Mojave Air and Space Port aboard the company’s modified Boeing 747-400, marking another step in accelerating America’s hypersonic defense capabilities.
The mission, conducted on March 6, 2026, was publicly disclosed by Stratolaunch on May 21, 2026, and supported the Missile Defense Agency’s Flight Test Experiment Other-04 (FEX-04) program. The test involved Stratolaunch’s carrier aircraft, Spirit of Mojave, lifting the Talon-A3 vehicle to launch altitude before releasing it to begin its independent hypersonic flight profile. The mission reflects growing cooperation between private aerospace firms and US defense agencies to speed up next-generation weapons testing.
The Talon-A3 is designed as a reusable hypersonic testbed, enabling government and defense customers to evaluate systems at speeds exceeding Mach 5 in real-world conditions. By air-launching from a high altitude, the platform allows more flexible testing, lower costs, and faster turnaround compared with traditional ground-launched systems. This capability is increasingly important as the US seeks to counter emerging hypersonic threats from rival nations.
