Stratolaunch Boosts Flight Capacity with Boeing 777-200ER Acquisition

Aerospace company Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER to serve as a carrier for its Talon-A, a reusable and autonomous hypersonic aircraft. The addition of this new aircraft increases Stratolaunch's flight capacity by approximately 35%. According to Zachary Krevor, CEO of Stratolaunch, the company plans to use the upgraded 777 to conduct multiple simultaneous hypersonic tests around the world.

Stratolaunch already has a fleet that includes Roc, the world's largest fixed-wing aircraft by wingspan, and a Boeing 747 known as Spirit of Mojave. The new aircraft will be based in Mojave, California, but could be staged in different countries depending on demand.

Krevor stated that hypersonics are a national security priority, citing the Pentagon's goal to conduct 50 hypersonic flights annually through the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) program. Work is expected to wrap up on the modified 777 in 2027.