:

Advanced / Transformational Technology

Stratolaunch, Varda Space Selected As Launch Providers For Hypersonic Test Bed

By Cal Biesecker

Thursday, January 22nd, 2026

SHARE:

Stratolaunch, Varda Space Selected As Launch Providers For Hypersonic Test Bed

Pictured is a Stratolaunch photo of the Roc aircraft and Talon-A 0 hypersonic test bed during a separation test on May 13, 2023.

The Defense Department and one of its technology accelerators have picked Stratolaunch and Varda Space Industries to provide reusable and recoverable launch services for a test bed aimed at increasing the cadence of flight-tests for hypersonic technologies. The Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program Task Area 3 launch providers will help DoD meet its goal of 50 hypersonic flight tests annually, the DoD Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) and National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) said on Thursday.…

Congress

HASC’s Final FY ‘27 NDAA Expands Systems Eligible For Multi-Years, Includes LTAMDS, IBCS, ARRW

House defense authorizers added a measure to their version of the next defense policy bill that would expand the list of weapons platforms eligible for multi-year contracts, to include the […]

Congress

HASC Bill Would Allow Air Force To Buy More Than 267 F-15EXs

The House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) fiscal 2027 defense authorization bill would allow the Air Force to buy more than 267 F-15EX fighters by Boeing [BA] and would extend the […]

Budget

Defense Bill Tries To Block Foreign Shipbuilding, Adds $1 Billion For Second DDG

The final version of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) fiscal year 2027 defense authorization bill included two amendments pushed by Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) that restrict procuring Navy warships […]

Congress

Replacement Munitions May Not Be One-for-One; May Include New Weapons Chemistries, Wittman Says

As the Pentagon looks to refill inventories of weapons used in Iran and elsewhere, replacements may not be one for one but instead mark a new portfolio mix, according to […]