Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER that the Mojave, California-based company said will allow it to carry and launch its Talon-A hypersonic test aircraft with greater frequency.
The company announced the purchase on September 30, 2026. It expects modifications allowing Talon-A vehicles to launch from the 777’s fuselage to be completed in 2027.
Stratolaunch said the addition would increase its flight capacity by 35%, allow simultaneous missions and make it easier to deploy aircraft to test locations around the world. The announcement did not disclose the purchase price or identify the aircraft’s previous operator.
The 777 will join Roc, Stratolaunch’s twin-fuselage carrier aircraft, and Spirit of Mojave, a modified Boeing 747. Roc has a wingspan of 385 feet and six engines, while the 747 gives the company another large platform for launching test vehicles.
During a test mission, the carrier aircraft takes Talon-A to altitude before releasing it. Talon-A then conducts its own high-speed flight. The reusable, autonomous vehicle allows customers to test equipment under hypersonic conditions and recover it afterward for examination.
Stratolaunch demonstrated that reuse with Talon-A2, which completed hypersonic flights in December 2024 and March 2025. The company said the vehicle exceeded Mach 5 on both flights and returned for runway landings.
Those flights supported the US military’s Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed, or MACH-TB, program through a partnership with Leidos. The program supports flight testing of hypersonic systems.
In July 2026, Stratolaunch reported that its Talon-A aircraft had completed more than 10 successful hypersonic flights to date.