May 14, 2025 | DoD News
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has successfully completed a second flight of its reusable hypersonic test vehicle, marking another major step forward in advanced aerospace technology. The flight took place in March 2025, following the initial launch in December 2024.
The test campaign, led by the DoD’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) in collaboration with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, marks the United States’ first reusable hypersonic flight testing program since the conclusion of the X-15 research effort in 1968.
In both flights, the Talon-A test vehicle—equipped with a liquid-fueled rocket engine—was released from a carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean. It reached speeds exceeding Mach 5 (approximately 3,836 mph) before landing safely at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
These flights support TRMC’s Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) project, which is designed to speed up the development of cutting-edge hypersonic technologies. The program offers a cost-effective way for the military, other government agencies, industry, and research institutions to test hypersonic components and materials in real flight conditions.
George Rumford, Director of TRMC, explained that traditional hypersonic development programs often involve high-cost, full-system weapon tests, limiting the number of annual trials. In such cases, if a test fails, retesting may be delayed for months. To avoid failure, engineers often overbuild components, which can negatively affect performance by increasing weight and reducing range.
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