Talon TA-1 reached speed exceeding Mach 5
On March 9, rocket engine startup Ursa Major announced that its new Hadley engine has been successfully tested on the Stratolaunch hypersonic test aircraft.
Stratolaunch, equipped with a modified twin-aisle Boeing 747-400, serves as a mobile platform for launching hypersonic vehicles. It will raise the devices to the desired height. This solution will allow hypersonic vehicles to reach higher speeds and bypass the traditional limitations associated with ground-based missile launches.
The first flight of Stratolaunch's Talon test aircraft took place on March 9 off the coast of California over the Pacific Ocean. During testing, the Talon reached supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5, which is five times the speed of sound.
Joe Laurienti, founder and CEO of Ursa Major, emphasized that hypersonic flight is becoming increasingly important in the military and government spheres and has already attracted the interest of many private companies. There is growing demand from the US military for hypersonic testing capabilities.
Hadley, a new 5,000-pound thrust rocket engine developed by Ursa Major, uses a hybrid combustion cycle based on liquid oxygen and high-oxygen kerosene.
Ursa Major, headquartered in Colorado, develops liquid engines for small launch vehicles and hypersonic vehicles. The company also announced its intention to expand production of solid rocket motors. To speed up the production process, the company uses 3D printing, which allows it to create engines in just a few days.