Stratolaunch Awarded 247M by Missile Defense Agency for Hypersonic Flight Testing

Stratolaunch Awarded 247M by Missile Defense Agency for Hypersonic Flight Testing
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 10, 2025

Stratolaunch has secured a $24.7 million competitive agreement with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to support critical national defense initiatives through an ambitious hypersonic flight test campaign.

The project involves enhancements to Stratolaunch's Spirit of Mojave 747 launch platform, allowing its reusable Talon-A vehicle to conduct test flights from various global locations. This advancement expands operations beyond the U.S. western coast, aligning with objectives to counter the escalating threat of hypersonic weapons. Scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025, the campaign will validate key technologies for developing advanced missile defense systems.

"Stratolaunch is thrilled to provide the Missile Defense Agency with near-term, unparalleled hypersonic test capabilities using our reusable Talon-A and Spirit of Mojave platforms," said Dr. Zachary Krevor, CEO and President of Stratolaunch. "This mission will enhance our national security posture, enabling rapid testing of new missile defense architectures designed to defend against hypersonic threats."

The Spirit of Mojave modifications will enable Talon-A to launch from any 747-compatible airport, offering customers increased operational flexibility and scalability. Dr. Krevor added, "With this award, we reinforce our position as a key enabler of national security through cutting-edge hypersonic test capabilities, helping the United States maintain its leadership in an increasingly dynamic global threat environment."

Michael Kryzak, MDA Director of Systems, Targets and Countermeasures, highlighted the importance of the collaboration, stating, "Hypersonic threats are difficult to detect and counter due to their speed, maneuverability, low-altitude flight paths, and unpredictable trajectories. We are pleased to partner with Stratolaunch to test our defensive architecture against these potential threats."

The agreement, awarded under the MDA Innovation, Science and Technology Broad Agency Announcement (HQ0860-23-S-0001), is backed by fiscal year 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation funds. Stratolaunch's Mojave, California, headquarters will serve as the primary site for Spirit of Mojave's modification work.