Stratolaunch aces latest Mach 5+ hypersonic test flight for US Missile Defense Agency

Stratolaunch said it successfully air-launched the Talon-A3 hypersonic vehicle from its modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft on March 6, 2026.

The flight was part of a U.S. Missile Defense Agency mission, FEX-04, and involved the Spirit of Mojave at Mojave Air and Space Port.

The test marks progress in reusable hypersonic flight infrastructure for defense programs.

It also offers a lower-cost way to validate Mach 5+ technologies and other high-speed systems.