Test Flight for Hypersonic Flying by World's Largest Plane
Stratolaunch's Roc Carries a Hypersonic Vehicle to 23,000 Feet Source: Stratolaunch Major Moves Toward Hypersonic Commercial Flying at Mach 6 The world's largest airplane, California-based Stratolaunch's Roc, with a wingspan longer than a football field, just aced a major test flight while carrying a hypersonic prototype plane. The success is important on a number of levels. It moves Stratolaunch, whose mission is to launch small, autonomous, rocket powered hypersonic vehicles from altitudes of 35,000 feet, closer to test flying its Talon A hypersonic vehicle. And it moves the world closer to hypersonic flying at speeds of Mach 6 and more. This will eventually include commercial passenger planes traveling at six times the speed of sound or 4,570 mph. Tha...