Latest news with #Talon-A
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Northrop tests tech to help hypersonic vehicles maneuver without GPS
Two recent groundbreaking hypersonic test flights featured a Northrop Grumman capability designed to allow high-speed systems to navigate and maneuver when GPS isn't available. The company told Defense News this week that its inertial measurement unit, or IMU, flew onboard Stratolaunch's Talon-A glide vehicle during its first two hypersonic flights in December and March. The successful demonstration of IMU technology on a hypersonic aircraft — which can travel and maneuver at speeds of Mach 5 or higher — is an industry first, according to Jonathan Green, Northrop's chief technology officer for emerging capabilities development. 'It met all of our goals … and the fact that it survived throughout this first flight test — these are all incredibly positive developments for how we're maturing this technology,' he said in an interview. The Pentagon disclosed the Talon-A tests this week, marking the first successful flights of a reusable hypersonic vehicle since the X-15 program ended in 1968. The U.S. in recent years has increased its investment in high-speed weaponry and aircraft, and Stratolaunch's testbed reflects a renewed urgency to create test opportunities for the components and subsystems needed to support major hypersonic development efforts. Northrop's Advanced Hypersonic Technology IMU is designed to allow high-speed systems to navigate without GPS — a capability that could be disrupted by adverse weather, difficult terrain or enemy jamming and spoofing. Using advanced sensors to understand how a platform is moving through its environment, the IMU calculates where the system has traveled and what path it needs to take to continue on its trajectory. According to Josei Chang, senior director of advanced technologies at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, the system performed as expected during the flight tests and accurately calculated the vehicle's path. While Northrop has developed IMUs for spacecraft, this version is a smaller, more rugged system, repackaged to fit on an air vehicle and designed to survive the harsh conditions of Mach 5 flight. 'What we have done within Northrop Grumman is to develop an inertial navigation technology that really started from our lineage in space-based inertial navigation,' Green said. 'We took that capability, that portfolio of technology, and enhanced it.' The hypersonic flights represent a significant milestone for the system, which is still in the research and development phase. An abstract for an upcoming navigation conference notes Northrop is developing IMU technology in partnership with the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Systems Center, but the company declined to confirm whether it has any formal development partners or contracts. Northrop plans to test the IMU on a sounding rocket sometime this quarter and is also eyeing another test event later this year at Holloman Air Force Base in Utah. That test will focus on how the system performs in an environment with high gravitational force. The company is also closely tracking Talon-A's test schedule, though Green wouldn't confirm whether the IMU would be on Stratolaunch's next flight, slated for this spring or summer. 'This partnership that we've had with Stratolaunch to get the system out there and get it tested was absolutely critical,' he said. 'It does speak to the importance of being able to test these things and have the resources to test these things.'
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."
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Talon-A exceeds Mach 5 speed as US successfully tests reusable hypersonic vehicle
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 In a step that could bolster the U.S.'s hypersonic weapons push, the Pentagon on Monday confirmed the second successful test of a reusable hypersonic vehicle in March, just three months after the first trial. The test marked the country's first return to reusable hypersonic flight testing since the end of the manned X-15 program in 1968. The revelation comes just days after the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced it had successfully demonstrated an end-to-end hypersonic flight test using a sea-based cold-gas launch system from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on April 25. Milestone tests The Stratolaunch Talon-A hypersonic vehicle was launched mid-air from the Roc carrier aircraft, flew over the Pacific Ocean, and exceeded speeds of Mach 5 before safely landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base. These milestone tests were conducted under the Test Resource Management Center's (TRMC) Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) initiative. Stratolaunch, a California-based aerospace firm, developed the Talon-A test vehicle. Its first successful flight in December 2024 was not publicly disclosed until now. Roc—the world's largest aircraft with a twin fuselage—served as the launch platform for the Talon-A hypersonic vehicle. "Demonstrating the reuse of fully recoverable hypersonic test vehicles is an important milestone for MACH-TB. Lessons learned from this test campaign will help us reduce vehicle turnaround time from months down to weeks," said George Rumford, Director of the TRMC. Reusable design saves costs Unlike conventional single-use rockets, the reusable craft can be quickly redeployed at a lower cost, accelerating the development of next-generation weapons that fly at several times the speed of sound, reducing adversaries' response time, and bypassing traditional defenses. MACH-TB aims to accelerate the delivery of advanced hypersonic capabilities by enabling the Department of Defense (DoD), other federal agencies, industry, and academia to conduct affordable and rapid hypersonic experiments and test system components. NSWC Crane awarded the MACH-TB contract to Leidos on behalf of the TRMC. Leidos, as the prime contractor, then awarded a competitive contract to Stratolaunch to provide flight test services for the program. '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. 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,' said Dr. Zachary Krevor, President and CEO of Stratolaunch said in a release. 'We've now demonstrated hypersonic speed, added the complexity of a full runway landing with prompt payload recovery, and proven reusability. Both flights were great achievements for our country, our company, and our partners,' he added. The Talon-A test vehicle will help develop hypersonic weapons by allowing engineers to test engines, sensors, and communication systems aboard its reusable platform. The vehicle is powered by a Hadley liquid rocket engine built by startup Ursa Major. Hypersonic weapons fly in the upper atmosphere at speeds above Mach 5, or over 6,200 km (3,850 miles) per hour. U.S. defense giants like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX are all advancing their hypersonic programs. Contractors are also investing in systems to detect and defend against these fast-moving threats. The test comes as the United States intensifies its efforts to build hypersonic capabilities, joining Russia and China in a growing global race to master the technology. Russia has reportedly used hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, while China has denied testing such weapons, despite U.S. military claims.
Mint
06-05-2025
- Science
- Mint
US advances toward China in hypersonic weapons race
The U.S. military has completed successful test flights of a reusable hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft, its first such accomplishment in more than a half century. The win is a sign of the Pentagon's progress in a wartime technology race in which China has a sizable lead . Two startups conducted the test flights of a vessel called the Talon-A: Stratolaunch, the company making the hypersonic test aircraft and based in the Mojave Desert, and Ursa Major, a Colorado-based builder of liquid rocket engines. The fully autonomous flights occurred in December and March, the Defense Department said on Monday, and exceeded five times the speed of sound—the generally accepted designation of hypersonic speed. The test flights provide one of the starkest examples yet of how venture- and private-equity-backed tech firms are providing the Defense Department with a long overdue boost. The U.S. has invested billions of dollars to develop hypersonic capabilities for several decades, but has made progress in fits and starts. Hypersonic weapons reach at least 3,800 mph. The components on board must be able to withstand not only the speed, but also temperatures of many thousands of degrees, and lots of maneuvering designed to trick the enemy and evade air-defense systems. Frequent, cost-effective testing is crucial for the U.S. military, and a reusable vehicle makes that possible. Stratolaunch's air-launch platform takes off from Mojave Air and Space Port carrying the small Talon-A rocket-powered aircraft. The U.S. military hasn't flown a reusable hypersonic-speed aircraft since 1968. That is when it shuttered the X-15 program , a superfast human-piloted aircraft lauded as a gold standard for experimental programs. 'The history of hypersonics is full of examples of successful programs that we have shut down prematurely, usually because of money," said Mark J. Lewis, president and chief executive officer of the Purdue Applied Research Institute and formerly a senior Defense Department official working on hypersonics. As the Pentagon dawdled, China plowed ahead, building some of the most state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles. Russia has claimed it has its own superfast nuclear-capable weapons. In the decades since the X-15, the U.S. continued testing hypersonic weaponry in wind tunnels, but tests had diminished over time. China conducts hypersonic test flights at about 10 times the rate the U.S. does, says Lewis. The Pentagon, under pressure from Congress to make better progress on hypersonic weapons, is leaning on startups to try and close the testing gap. Stratolaunch and Ursa Major conducted the test flights from the Mojave Desert, carrying the vessel up to high altitude in a much larger plane before launching it. The Talon-A makes its first autonomous landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The Talon-A was strapped with radar, antennas, sensors or other communications systems the Defense Department wants to ensure will work in hypersonic conditions, said Zachary Krevor, Stratolaunch's CEO. 'You collect a treasure trove of data. That's what these tests are about," Krevor said. The Pentagon wants hypersonic missiles, and test vehicles like the Talon-A allow it to develop and refine weapons. The aircraft landed at a Space Force base on the central California coast. Krevor declined to say exactly how far and fast it flew. Stratolaunch and Ursa Major are part of a richly funded sector of startups building hypersonic-speed weapons and aircraft. As national-security-aligned tech sectors become more popular for investors, money has flowed to these companies . Brad Appel, Ursa Major's chief technology officer, likens the change in hypersonics to what SpaceX did for rocket launches, making them cheaper and more widely available. Startups 'don't require decades of institutional studies," he said. 'We just get out there and test." The company, which has raised $280 million in venture capital, has contracts with the Air Force and Navy. Stratolaunch is owned by private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, whose former co-CEO, Stephen Feinberg, was confirmed in March as the deputy secretary of defense.
