Latest news with #Roc
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rochester Summer Soul Music Fest 2025: Line-up revealed
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester Summer Soul Music Festival is coming back for its 30th year! The City of Rochester revealed the lineup of performers for this year's festival. The headliner this year is multi-grammy winner Jeffrey Osborne, known for songs such as 'On the Wings of Love' and 'Only Human.' Opening acts include David Hollister, Sunshine Anderson, Sky Whatley, Senoj from the Roc, Erin and Ross, and Negus iRap. 'Varick Baiyina and his team at Xperience Live Events have curated another fantastic line-up, there's something for everyone,' Mayor Evans said. ' You don't want to miss it.' The show will take place on Saturday, August 9, at Innovative Field. Doors open at 2 p.m. General, premium, and VIP tickets can be purchased on the event's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Need for speed? Watch this thrilling video from historic Stratolaunch Talon-A2 hypersonic flight (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Stratolaunch released a new video documenting the completion of its second hypersonic flight and full recovery of its Talon-A2 autonomous vehicle, showing off the capabilities of this sleek reusable hypersonic aircraft. This successful follow-up mission, recently undertaken on March 24 of this year, follows in the wake of the Talon-A2 vehicle's initial first hypersonic flight and runway recovery back on Dec. 20, 2024. The Talon-A2 is an advanced air-launch plane lifted aloft by a gigantic dual-fuselage aircraft designed by Scaled Composites with a world-leading 385-foot (117 meters) wingspan and nicknamed "Roc." When positioned and deployed at altitude over 20,000 feet, the dart-shaped hypersonic marvel is dropped from Roc's center wing pylon before its Ursa Major Hadley rocket engine comes alive to propel it to Mach 5 and beyond. "With the data collected from this second flight, we are able to apply lessons learned to enhance the strength and performance of the Talon-A vehicles," said Dr. Zachary Krevor, President and CEO of Stratolaunch in a statement. "While the team needs to complete its data review of flight two, the first flight review confirmed the robustness of the Talon-A design while demonstrating the ability to meet the full range of performance capabilities desired by our customers." RELATED STORIES: — Stratolaunch's Talon-A2 prototype goes hypersonic after dropping from world's largest airplane (photos) — Stratolaunch launches 1st rocket-powered flight of hypersonic prototype from world's largest airplane — Stratolaunch flies world's largest airplane on 2nd test flight After a controlled altitude climb, the Talon-A2 glided back down to Earth for a silky-smooth touchdown and payload recovery at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, as seen in this video linking Stratolaunch's vision back to the pioneering days of the U.S. Air Force and NASA's legendary X-15 rocket plane program of the late 1950s and 1960s. Both December's and March's flights packed payloads and Department of Defense experiments. These thrilling missions mark America's first return to reusable hypersonic flight testing since that manned X-15 program ended in 1968. Stratolaunch is a revolutionary air-launch enterprise founded back in 2011 by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Cerberus Capital Management formally purchased Stratolaunch back in 2018, transferring its headquarters from Seattle, Washington to Mohave Air and Space Port in California with an emphasis on evolving and operating world-class hypersonic aerospace craft. A second launch platform is currently being developed using a Boeing 747-400 once owned by the now-defunct Virgin Orbit and now renamed "Spirit of Mojave." This updated aircraft will provide a more convenient, compact carrier than the mighty "Roc" for future flights and testing of the next generation of Stratolaunch vehicle dubbed the Talon-A3, which should be ready to fly sometime in late 2025. Stratoluanch previously tested the single-use prototype Talon-A1 on March 9, 2024, which was not equipped with landing gear and executed a perfect ocean splashdown.
Gizmodo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Pentagon's Hypersonic Drone Hits Mach 5 in Record-Breaking Tests
A California-based startup pulled off two hypersonic flights of its reusable aircraft, which became the first fully autonomous drone to reach Mach 5 speeds. Stratolaunch's Talon-A2 completed a series of test flights for the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, part of a hypersonic testbed program that echoes Cold War-era efforts like the X-15, which retired in 1968. The hypersonic vehicle exceeded Mach 5 speeds during the tests that took place in December 2024 and March 2025, Stratolaunch revealed this week. 'We've now demonstrated hypersonic speed, added the complexity of a full runway landing with prompt payload recovery, and proven reusability,' Zachary Krevor, president and CEO of Stratolaunch, said in a statement. The Talon-A prototype is an autonomous, reusable aircraft capable of flying at least five times the speed of sound. During its test flights, Roc—the largest airplane ever built—released the vehicle over the Pacific Ocean. Stratolaunch's Roc took off with Talon-A1 tucked in its belly before the hypersonic vehicle conducted its own flight and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base. When it was founded in 2011, Stratolaunch intended to use Roc to launch Orbital ATK's Pegasus XL rocket into space. Following its founder Paul Allen's death in 2018, the company switched gears to focusing on developing, deploying, and flying hypersonic vehicles instead. In December 2021, Stratolaunch announced a contract with the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency to provide a testbed for developing defense strategies against hypersonic threats. In March 2024, Talon-A1 launched for its first powered test flight, reaching hypersonic speeds that didn't quite make it to Mach 5. Unlike Talon-A1, Stratolaunch's latest prototype, Talon-A2 is fully reusable. The company is developing future versions of the Talon-A, which will be rocket-powered and capable of carrying customizable payloads at hypersonic speeds. Stratolaunch is also working on a larger hypersonic vehicle, dubbed Talon-Z, and a spaceplane nicknamed Black Ice, that would carry payloads—and possibly passengers—to Earth orbit. Talon-A2's recent flights mark the first hypersonic flights since the X-15 program conducted by the U.S. Air Force and NASA. The X-15 hypersonic aircraft were air-launched from a B-52 aircraft, and flew a total of 199 times over the span of 10 years. The program ended in the late 1960s due to a lack of funding and a shift of focus toward orbital missions. The Department of Defense has shown a renewed interest in hypersonic vehicles as other nations like China and Russia are working on developing their own. The U.S. has never operated a reusable hypersonic vehicle, a capability that could significantly reduce costs. 'Demonstrating the reuse of fully recoverable hypersonic test vehicles is an important milestone for MACH-TB,' George Rumford, director of the Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center, said in a statement. 'Lessons learned from this test campaign will help us reduce vehicle turnaround time from months down to weeks.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
US tests hypersonic aircraft, advances toward China in arms race
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways (NewsNation) — The Department of Defense announced Monday the United States successfully completed two test flights of a reusable hypersonic aircraft, marking a significant step in the development of weapons capable of flying more than five times the speed of sound. The advancement helps close the gap in hypersonic technology between the U.S. and rival powers like China and Russia, both of which already have hypersonic weapons at their disposal. Russia has used hypersonic missiles in its war against Ukraine. US Army pausing helicopter training flights around Pentagon The aircraft can attack from great distances and maneuver in ways that aim to trick adversaries and dodge traditional defenses. They are capable of carrying both conventional explosives and nuclear warheads. Ballistic missiles can also travel at these hypersonic speeds; however, they have to follow a flight path. This makes them much easier to intercept before they reach their target. The U.S. also has cruise missiles, which can move around but travel much more slowly. Pentagon hired tech startups to help with hypersonic aircraft Under pressure from Congress to increase progress on hypersonic technology, the Pentagon, whose funding for its development has lagged over the years, enlisted two tech startups — Stratolaunch and Ursa Major. Hegseth directs 20% cut to top military leadership positions The recent test flights involved an autonomous drone, the Talon-A, which was carried up from the Mojave Desert by a larger Roc carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean. The flights, conducted in December and March, reached speeds of Mach 5, the hypersonic threshold, according to the Pentagon. According to the Wall Street Journal, hypersonic missiles are crucial, since they can travel anywhere in the world in less than an hour. The Talon-A's reusability is critical, allowing faster turnaround between missions and reducing costs. What was the X-15 program? The test marks the country's first return to reusable hypersonic flight trials since the manned X-15 program ended nearly 60 years ago, highlighting the urgency of advancing America's hypersonic capabilities. The North American X-15 hypersonic aircraft was operated by NASA and the U.S. Air Force. In 1967, it reached its highest speed of 4,520 mph. The program allowed 12 pilots to fly on nearly 200 flights. Some pilots were even classified as astronauts by exceeding 50 miles in altitude. NASA research pilot Bill Dana poses in front of the hypersonic X-15 aircraft, October 24, 1967. Image courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Aerial view of the 3.5-Foot Hypersonic Tunnel Complex at the Ames Research Center, Moffett Federal Airfield, California, 1977. Image courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Branch Chief Thomas Canning stands beside a Hypersonic Free-Flight Aerodynamic Facility combustion-driven shock tube at Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, 1966. Image courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) (Original Caption) This artist's rendering illustrates the advanced hypersonic concept in entry vehicles achieved by Lockhead-California Company Engineers. The Fuselage is uniquely contoured to provide aerodynamic control in both high and low speed regimes. The design breakthrough eliminates the outer fins, which means that a smaller surface area is exposed to high temperature as the hypersonic craft flies back through the atmosphere and returns to earth for landing. Photograph of the NASA engineer mounting the M-1 Lifting Body in the throat of the Hypersonic Tunnel at the NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, 1964. Image courtesy National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) According to NASA, the program completed its purpose of 'supporting piloted hypersonic flight within and outside the Earth's atmosphere.' 'The history of hypersonics is full of examples of successful programs that we have shut down prematurely, usually because of money,' Mark J. Lewis, president and chief executive officer of Purdue Applied Research Institute, told the Wall Street Journal. China, Russia have hypersonic aircraft readily available China and Russia have hypersonic aircraft readily available, which could alter the United States' strategic plans, according to the Journal. These aircraft could be used to go around the early warning systems the U.S. has in place for detecting attacks. They could also be used to hit naval aircraft carriers and key bases. Chinese companies eye moves to US amid sky-high tariffs In the South China Sea, even with the most advanced warship, the U.S. could still be defenseless against a hypersonic aircraft, the Journal reported. Hypersonic missiles could double Beijing's reach, leaving U.S. ships defenseless, and could even strike Guam, where thousands of U.S. troops are stationed. A former Pentagon senior official told the Journal that since the late 1960s, China has tested hypersonic flight at about ten times the rate of the U.S. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Axios
07-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Stratolaunch goes hypersonic with reusable Talon-A vehicle
Two hypersonic flight tests were completed mere months apart using the same autonomous vehicle, a milestone for the U.S. as it jockeys with other world powers for speedy, maneuverable weapons. Why it matters: The Talon-A flights handled by Stratolaunch contribute to the Pentagon's Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed program (MACH-TB). The U.S. has lacked a recoverable hypersonic aircraft for decades, since the X-15 was ditched. What they're saying: "We've now demonstrated hypersonic speed, added the complexity of a full runway landing with prompt payload recovery, and proven reusability," Stratolaunch CEO Zachary Krevor said in an announcement. In both instances, Talon-A launched from a larger aircraft known as Roc and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. What we're hearing: There are additional chefs in the kitchen. Leidos, for example, oversees MACH-TB. Northrop Grumman tested its Advanced Hypersonic Technology Inertial Measurement Unit aboard Talon-A. The company said it collected "hours of critical ground and flight data." Ursa Major's Hadley engine sustained the speeds. CEO Dan Jablonsky in March told Axios the company is pouring money into "hypersonics, hypersonics and hypersonics."
