America's hypersonic flight comeback: Shifting the balance of power at 5 times the speed of sound
The U.S., Russia and China are in the middle of a hypersonic arms race – and right now, the U.S. is losing. But private companies are stepping up to develop hypersonic tech that shifts the edge back in America’s favor.
"These peer adversaries have continued to accelerate and develop hypersonic systems, and now we have that asymmetry," said Zachary Krevor, CEO of hypersonic flight test company Stratolaunch. "So to get that symmetry in the world balance back so we can deter and make sure there's across the world order, we need these hypersonic systems."
Hypersonic is the ability to move at Mach 5 – five times the speed of sound, or around 3,800 mph. The U.S. was at the forefront of this technology in the 1960s with the development of the rocket-powered North American X-15, which tallied 199 successful flights. But the cost of development and shift to stealth technology shut the program down. China and Russia put an emphasis on hypersonics, leaving the U.S. behind.
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"We have a history of innovation in this country. And so we will catch up," said Krevor.
Hypersonic weapons may play a huge role in the future of warfare, as their speed, range and maneuverability help evade early detection. But they’re also expensive, so the Defense Department is using private companies to research, manufacture and test the future of hypersonics.
Stratolaunch is one of these companies.
"We think this has been a win for everyone here in the United States. It's been a win for the taxpayer, because [we] have developed these vehicles and absorbed all the risk and the cost overrun," said Krevor. "It's a great win for our executive and congressional branches, because now they're utilizing this capability to accelerate hypersonic development in this country. And so they are sponsoring the rest of our flights, which we are greatly appreciative for. And now we're able to start leaping ahead of what those peer competitors can do."
Established in 2011, the 362-employee company based in Mojave, California, has built the first hypersonic aircraft to land since the X-15 was shuttered in 1968. It’s called the Talon-A, and it’s undergone two successful test flights since December.
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"The Talon is a great starting point," said Krevor. "Reusable hypersonic airplane, first one ever to do it autonomously in the whole world. And so we will start and build up that test cadence so we can get more learning, more data, etc. Then we'll continue to expand the offerings, potentially bigger Talons, faster vehicles."
The Talon-A is designed to fly autonomously up to Mach 6. Stratolaunch is also looking at artificial intelligence to control the aircraft, because, simply put, the human body can’t endure the maneuverability at that speed, said Krevor.
"There are a variety of defenses that can be applied against hypersonic systems. The key is to be able to match that maneuverability and do it autonomously so you can do it quickly, have that decision time down."
Right now the Talon-A is launched from 35,000 feet in the air by way of the Roc – the world’s largest operating airplane. Built using two fuselages connected by a 385-foot wing, the Talon-A is released using explosive bolts. Stratolaunch also acquired a Boeing 747, dubbed "Spirit of Mojave," that will soon be used as an additional launch plane, capable of taking off from any airport large enough to handle an aircraft of that size.
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This makes the Talon-A extremely mobile, able to be dispatched from nearly anywhere. It’s able to land on a conventional runway using retractable landing gear, making it possible to carry a variety of payloads, from weapons to equipment, and eventually, people.
"One day we will see humans traveling at hypersonic speeds," said Krevor. "There is a need, a variety of use cases where traveling humans from point A to point B at these speeds is critical. And so one day, we do anticipate seeing that need and Stratolaunch will help contribute."