TA-1 First Flight

[@hisf1shness]

Man sees huge plane with 6 engines, man sees rocket powered plane, man is happy.

[@slowery43]

Wow... that was really dumb

[@Fahim_Alam]

Being men is so simple and easy.

[@edmundzelger7800]

Tim Taylor vibes 😂😂

[@daverotors]

@@slowery43it was also really true

[@thomashenden71]

This is all there is to say about the stone age part of it. 😄

[@nosaltadded2530]

Even a coyote helped out with a last minute FOD walkdown.

[@henkvandenbergh1301]

Wile E. is hoping to finally catch Roadrunner with this new Acme kit.

[@catbertz]

@@henkvandenbergh1301 beep beep 🚀

[@muskylounger]

coyote kinda is the FOD ha but yeah I like to think he helped

[@sdebeaubien]

Coyote bomb

[@imrytebeehyneu]

Coyote is trying to clear the area

[@Omnis2]

That launch plane is absolutely massive.

[@SEPK09]

I think a little to over the top!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@agravemisunderstanding9668]

​@@SEPK09 It could be so the platform can be used for larger pay loads

[@singleproppilot]

It was originally designed to launch a 500,000 lb rocket, but those plans fell through.

[@Litfilmz]

Imagine seeing like 500 of them flying over dropping bombs during war time, that would be f*ckin terrifying😂💯

[@wdwerker]

@@Litfilmzmassive payload capacity but also a massive vulnerable target with no defenses.

[@nevadahamaker7149]

I'm glad that the Roc is finding a use, and has not been relegated to a boneyard or scrapping. It seems like it's a lot more plane than is necessary for carrying the TA-1. I'm hopeful that larger payloads are in its future so that its capabilities can be fully utilized.

[@planetsec9]

There are up to and including a freaking spaceplane I think larger than the Dream Chaser, looks like the X-34

[@tbrosz]

It is kind of like having the Incredible Hulk carry your groceries in, but still cool. Why the pressure suits in the cockpit?

[@smiskowiak]

It's too cool of a plane to not be used.

[@smiskowiak]

@@tbrosz the aircraft is considered an Experimental. My guess for the pressure suits is a safety precaution more than anything. The Roc is essentially 2 747's in one. The entire plane is the harvesting of those 2 jumbo jets. When it was built, the cockpits, center body, and other elements were all modified. I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually add ejection seats.

[@prequel1592]

yea sick plane. How big is the TA-1 vs a Space-X falcon 9?

[@johnjakson444]

that dual hull jet is right out of the imagination of Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds, Internanional Rescue

[@RMSadventures-ie4fr]

thats what i was thinking LOL "thunderbirds are a GO!"

[@johnnyshinnichi1785]

Yeah. How come I've never seen that before? I can't believe a vehicle as cool as that isn't more well known.@@RMSadventures-ie4fr

[@TheJeffbarrett]

Captain Scarlett "SIG"

[@McGowanForge]

If it was painted green I'd call it the Thunderbird 2

[@ianmurphy5975]

thought the same lol

[@filster1934]

The Captain's (left seater) call sign is "Hooter". That's a legendary pilot.

[@oshaghenesy]

Does he have any famous escapades or are you just referring to the cool name?

[@ThisUsernameSystemF-ckingSucks]

What a hoot.

[@trekkeruss]

@@oshaghenesyThe only Hooter I know is the character in the short film Captain EO.

[@Xalexalexale]

@@oshaghenesyhe was the chief test pilot on the joint strike fighter program. He’s the most experienced f22 pilot ever.

[@ezsnacklest]

Beautiful reaction by the pilots dropping an unmanned drone, imagine what the emotions were for the pilots on a b52 dropping a hypersonic manned rocket plane in the 60s and see it rise to space when space was still uncharted territory

[@judd_s5643]

They’re just extremely happy it didn’t porpoise up and break their plane in two! Ryan Aeronautical had drones drop and then immediately nosed up and took out engines of the mother craft.

[@Blake4625kHz]

@ezsnacklest EXACTLY

[@GoodluckGamer]

Whoever decided to put synthwave over this, you a goat.

[@mikebergman1817]

Likely a man. Goats have hooves, and hooves cannot manipulate a keyboard in that way.

[@MrEnajiza]

@@mikebergman1817 And Females haven't got the aptitude ?

[@richardscott4847]

FAB, used to see planes like this in Thunderbirds. You have made a 62 year old very happy.😊

[@jackdeniston6150]

So, so true. So many Thunderbirds type thing happening today. Spacex landings, these things, so much. WE may see people on Mars, oh my god.

[@frankward8336]

😊😊😊😊

[@Peterthegreat1234]

Not sure many people know about Thunderbirds, Brains.

[@CommonSensePeople]

What a massive waste of our money. Bunch of assholes blowing billions for fucking nothing.

[@2150dalek]

@@jackdeniston6150 you mean ZERO X ? 🤓

[@jackboot5321]

Paul would have been extremely proud of your team. Congratulations.

[@alexs1972]

Congratulations guys, first flight is arguably one of the biggest milestones you could ever cross

[@lcfflc3887]

I guess they abandoned their dangerous killer design they had before.

[@bryanp.1327]

That landing was buttery smooth.

[@stationcolossus]

Butterin the bread right there

[@fullpetalmanic9529]

That plane just gave birth midair... what a beautiful thing to witness.

[@Imagine_spot]

Didn't even slow down

[@BOEING747AMERICUHHQUIT]

That explains why i saw the stratolaunch on flight radar earlier

[@DirtbikeJack]

Real

[@mikecleverly7021]

Wow, goosebumps! This is such an amazing aircraft, hope they have many many more of those wonderful successful flights!

[@amirsadeghi9888]

so what happened to the TA1... did it just soar in to the sunset? did it land or splashed in the ocean?

[@ArilMaven]

Yea thats what I wanna know

[@langfingerli]

It hit my mom :/

[@slowery43]

huge fail thinking you're funny @@langfingerli

[@lockwoodpeckinpaugh9252]

Primary objectives for the flight test included accomplishing safe air-launch release of the TA-1 vehicle, engine ignition, acceleration, sustained climb in altitude, and a controlled water landing.

[@amirsadeghi9888]

@@lockwoodpeckinpaugh9252 no I got all of that, but what happened to the vehicle? Did it land in water or splashed down or crashed or what? is it reusable? is it classified? then just say that in the video.

[@onjofilms]

Glad to see Microsoft's #2's money did not go to waste.

[@KuostA]

wym

[@onjofilms]

This was started by Paul Allen. Microsoft co founder.@@KuostA

[@PistonAvatarGuy]

Oh, sure, one flight, all profitable now! /s

[@michaelfoxbrass]

This aircraft could be very profitable once it gets to scale. Much lower cost of launching payloads into near-space or into space, will drive its adoption.

[@soothingunboxing7129]

Paul Allen would be happy his money is making a difference now

[@FrightfulMess]

Ah.......like.......what happened to the rocket glider after engine shut down? Did it do a Space-X (blow up)? Did it glide back to the runway? Or did it just disappear into the sunset? Inquiring minds want to know!

[@variant101]

They said “into the sun” so I guess…

[@Imagine_spot]

It landed in so.eones Backyard, he's on the news talking about UFOs😂

[@abushnamedsue9331]

They mentioned “bringing it down in the water”

[@alistairclark6814]

I wanted see more on the released aircraft and it's landing or lack of.

[@gamegoof]

Ok hear me out, that beast looks like a great movie set, in-flight. You got 2 large body areas and some kind of made-up cable tunnel where the hero could cross, then end up in the vehicle to go into space. Stratolaunch carrier needs to be immortalized in popular media, just beautiful

[@rlu1956]

The engineers who stiffened this jet to be able to be stable, I am quite amazed. A great technology.

[@wstavis3135]

Oh damn! I know where they are. My family had a recycling plant there in the 80s. Dad met Burt Rattan and John DeLorean, and let me go flying with Burt. I did not know they were still doing experimental aircraft out there. Very cool.

[@supervolant]

And the launch vehicle disintegrated and did not make it through hypersonic speeds? Or why not mention what happened in the video? Storyline is an art.

[@Shadow__133]

Or worse, it never came back 😂

[@tbrosz]

For this particular test, I believe it was intended to discard the vehicle after the mission. There will be a recoverable version soon.

[@amcds2867]

I agree. A dull presentation with no figures at all. Not impressed. If it didn't achieve hypersonic speeds then bad timing for this video. Give us the wheat, not the chaff.

[@Liscom]

It achieved supersonic speeds. Came just short of hypersonic, though@@amcds2867

[@Dan0__]

A lot of missing information here. Not impressed.

[@irpat54]

The X-15 was the first manned aircraft to reach hypersonic speed in 1959, It's amazing how much technology has changed, back then (1959-the 60s), they were concerned with the X-15 melting it was going so fast.

[@M_03256]

Yes and the x-15 is and will always remain the fastest maned aircraft to ever fly, it flew at well over 4000 mph. In October of 1967 William J. Knight flew the x-15 to a top speed of mach 6.70, nearly 7 times the speed of sound or 4,520 mph at 102,100 feet, a little over 19 miles above the ground though it could fly as high as 354,000 feet, 67 miles above the ground. The x-15 is a marvelous aircraft and is also an insane feat of engineering. Even in today's world i highly doubt we could ever build it.

[@zacrl1230]

@@M_03256 "Even in today's world i highly doubt we could ever build it." Then you are dumb.

[@just_another_brick_in_the_wall]

What happened to "TA-1" ? Disintegration ? Crashed ? Abducted by aliens ?

[@billl7551]

Indeed, maybe it fell over?

[@thundervusn]

Amazing!!! Why did the video not explained a little bit more what happened to the launhed aircraft, did it land or what happened and how was the flight?

[@jeebtheboss]

strange indeed

[@joelweinert3580]

It would have been nice to get the flight duration and top speed. Otherwise beautiful video!

[@garymountcastle6657]

And landing.

[@nighthawk0077]

Agreed we saw virtually nothing and got no speed/altitude data

[@JuJu-fi8oo]

I'm so glad this was pushed my way. Happy to learn and watch about it. Good job, good flight. Would love to see a part two on Talon-A's journey.

[@jaythomaso9311]

Ik im dumb, but where did it go and how did it land?

[@Dr_Larken]

0:45. Punching through the Trans regime, I’m all on board! Punch away! Honestly, I wish you guys success!

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

the launch plane itself is impressive

[@boltonky]

Super cool, I always felt it was a shame years ago when the US/AUS stopped there hyper-sonic tests in the outback due to a few failures (progression isn't made without things breaking) Thanks Stratolaunch for continuing to strive into an area like many others that is a decade or more behind were we should be.

[@stu176mmm]

Where did the launched vehicle end up?

[@supervolant]

Asking the right question. Who wrote the storyline of this video and thought it would be a good idea to leave that part out?

[@Shadow__133]

I suspect it is still going... probably passing the Moon by now 😂

[@flsp81]

They say at 0:48 « bringing down into the water »

[@stu176mmm]

@flsp81 there's a lot of that about lol. Probably the Pacific given take off from Mojave base. Thinking more about distance traveled, recovery.

[@Liscom]

Homing in on you now...

[@Jona]

I thought that was some new kind of plane and the thing in the middle would kickstart that big plane like the like the star wars hyperspace start

[@skybirdprojects5489]

Great success for Joe Laurienti and all the awesome people at Ursa Major Technologies for their first flight test of the Hadley rocket engine! I'm proud to have interned with such a great team!

[@Tubularjake]

Lol. 3:30 The cargo pilots walkin' down the ramp giving high-fives like they were the ones in the rocket.

[@Chris-Workshop]

can i just say... the payload is way to small for that aircraft..

[@josephius]

womp womp

[@GamingTrivia1113]

The wings are mostly for flying at the edge of space to get the payload as heigh as possible

[@kerbalengineeringsystems7415]

@@GamingTrivia1113 no they're not - they're to enable this monster to carry a miniaturized Falcon 9 and drop it to airlaunch it. That plan was abandoned in the early 2010s when SpaceX dropped out of the partnership, but the plane got built anyway.

[@ernestgalvan9037]

No such thing as “payload way to [sic] small”. The plane will fly with ZERO payload. 😎

[@JZsBFF]

It was either that or filling paper bags at Wallmart.

[@gordonhowett7529]

Man Congratulations to the Stratolaunch Team! That was beautiful.

[@HawaiiSlimeCompany]

Such a beautiful aircraft! Happy to see another milestone in aviation!

[@houdini9067]

Couldn't figure it out: is is for customer, cargo or military use? Or just a general purpose vehicle?

[@amcconnell6730]

So what happened to it? Just dumped into the ocean?

[@ZeeroGamingTV]

Simply amazing, the Roc never ceases to amaze me

[@5t4n5]

The Roc is such a beautiful plane.

[@michaelmcwhirter]

You had me at "super experimental"

[@technov9838]

First time I saw a Siamese Airplane! that so Awesome!.. TA01 has so many buttons similar to an old B737..can they make it simpler like space x dragon cockpit?

[@Vaquero357x2]

Glad to see the Hula Girl over the instruments!

[@rodparker6530]

Oh, they do cut that shot so we had to look twice. Thanks for the second viewing

[@GizzyDillespee]

Y'all impressive. The smoke trail made it look like either it was hella windy, or your rocket plane had a squirrelly flight. Whichever... congratulations. That giant hanger, giant launch plane, and the little space shuttle looking thing... wow. No verbs needed!

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

??? wheres the talon a flight and landing

[@Ronolein]

Wirklich genial dieses Fluggerät. Ich bin wirklich gespannt auf den ersten Flug ins All

[@a_vr_tree]

2 legends in the same week BOOM and Stratolaunch this world is turning in the correct way.

[@DS-lk3tx]

😆 🤣 😂 😹

[@Jmp5nb]

Reminds me of watching the live launch of the X-15 while living in Palmdale in the early 1960’s. Awesome.

[@patrickrampy6885]

We should be progressed a lot further than just duplicating that by now. :-(

[@Jmp5nb]

@@patrickrampy6885 It shows that American engineering in the sixties, with little in the way of computer assistance was amazing.

[@MICMON]

This was a super odd video. Is it advertising the launch plane, the gliding rocket or both? The launch plane seemed to be more of the focus. Are they one company developing both vehicles?

[@ArtyDc600]

Yes

[@wrayjordan7188]

Congratulations on a successful flight. Keep up the great work. Best wishes for continued progress.

[@robroilen4441]

Why would you blur the avionics?? Why are there only 5 seconds of video of TA-1 actually flying in a 4 minute video about it??

[@StoffelDilligas]

That is amazing. But what is more amazing is the launch vehicle. I need to find out more about it.

[@monostripeexplosiveexplora2374]

the carrying aircraft is just super impressive, safe landings.

[@missiletm]

Uh, why do they need to use that Huge plane to launch a Missile that small?

[@ernestgalvan9037]

..they don’t NEED to use, it, but as I’ve noted before, ROC-1 has the needed stuff, ready to go. It’s not like air-launch aircraft are a dime-a-dozen.

[@dipling.pitzler7650]

Probably because SAC did not want to lend out one of their B52 s to private company ! 🤣🤣

[@russc788]

I imagine the aircraft is fine for any size payload.

[@clabber201]

Don't know what's more impressive... the Big Plane ore the Rocket 😂❤

[@shynsly01]

Is it wrong I'm more curious about the mother ship than the actual space craft?

[@Rickyboy707]

Will there be subsequent videos of the vehicle landing?

[@Don-kr5tp]

Great job recreating what was done 60 years ago

[@cesarferrolho1647]

and slower XD

[@ESUNintel]

Beautiful 🤩 Congrats!! Would love to see/learn more about the smaller vehicle - how did testing go, did it land, what did the crew experience, pilot feedback interviews, etc…

[@chris_d-triple_three]

3:53 of fluff and 0:05 of TA-1 footage, most of which was about the size of a pixel. 🙄 Can we see some better footage please?

[@happytrailsgaming]

I find that transformer of a jet more impressive than anything

[@darrylkenes7424]

I think we saw this in the early 60’s. Big plane (B36) drops rocket powered plane (X-15) world goes crazy. Now we want to do it like it’s something new? How about we build a colony on the Moon or land humans on Mars? Next… Spain discovers Miami Beach?

[@Wurtoz9643]

We heard it here folks! Let’s stop making new cars and instead start making nuclear reactors!

[@cresshead]

wheres the return landing footage of the ta-1?.... what happened to it?

[@sankhadeepburman9709]

Bye bye

[@KeenMixer]

Congratulations! Does the TA-1 have any type of landing system to return to base so it can be used again?

[@hamzahkhan8952]

the next version will be capable of returning and landing on a runway. it should fly later this year.

[@kneewall49]

So this one simply went out to sea and crash landed?

[@hamzahkhan8952]

@@kneewall49 pretty much. it was just supposed to test the engine and glide control. after engine shutdown, it just glided in a controlled manner until falling back into the ocean (no recovery as far as im aware)

[@freds4703]

How did pilots end up coming down out of a plane? Lots of detail missing here.

[@hamzahkhan8952]

@@freds4703 the pilots piloted the mothership, not the rocket-plane (TA-1). the TA-1 was autonomous.

[@AngelaHamiltonRao]

Wow what the heck is that……an amazing piece of machinery. This takes flying ‘Twins’. to a whole different level.

[@thatonebeone]

where the little plane go ?

[@ebenwaterman5858]

Yeah, where did it go?

[@lukasclark884]

Sounds like it touched down in the Pacific Ocean.

[@Octuly]

​Crashed in the Pacific?​@@lukasclark884

[@kerncountyresponsevideos2639]

Great job guys when is the big one flying again?

[@JohnDoe-vz7xj]

congrats! keep going!

[@randyharmon717]

Don’t remember hearing anything about this aircraft before today that’s good progress.

[@Peterthegreat1234]

Why didn't they just buy an old B 52. ? That's what their GRANDFATHERS used.

[@broderp]

I want to know more about the plane that carried the TA-1 😯 Never seen it before and initially thought it was CGI!

[@Airdddd]

The stratolaunch, A simple, yet complicated aircraft, worth of carrying Cruise missiles! So happy to see this video

[@brownstone43]

Isn't that Cargo Plane just a little over compensating for that tiny plane?

[@jfkastner]

Awesome, Kudos!

[@moredesignbuild]

I’ve been at Mojave when you did a test flight. Very impressive project!

[@silvervisage5096]

To boldly go where so many have gone before.

[@tg4941]

Yeah this was done in the 60s so much progress over the last 60years is incredible. 😂

[@stevenreyngold7121]

Simply incredible time in space exploration. I wish humanity could do more of this than the daily evil we are exposed to. How far we could go.

[@SilverShrimpTX]

Glad to be part of Aviation History!

[@Dukers2300]

Why though

[@Eddiesoc]

that launch plane is incredible by itself

[@bossempire3760]

Congrats

[@arobyte]

Why is the carrying vehicle so large? Can't something the size of a Boeing 747 do this?

[@Dreamer66617]

this is amazing truly holy shit. what a large vehicle first time im seeing something like this

[@vwaudiwelder]

Remarkable accomplishment! I wonder the largest payload spacecraft that can be carried and launched for such a massive mothership wingspan???

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Every time I see the Roc launch vehicle I think "How can that thing even fly?" It look so fragile. The stress on the connecting wing segment must be insane. They must needs be very careful about what kind of weather they fly in.

[@sablatnic8030]

There isn't much stress on the center section. the two halves of the wing mostly balance each other out. Like two aircraft flying in close formation. (Very close formation actually). Many years ago I made a similar radio controlled model (smaller, only 4 meters of span), which was so fragile it needed two people to lift it, but it flew fine. If I had attempted to lift it under the center, the wing would have broken, but there was absolutely no problems when flying.

[@Wannes_]

It's a ScaledComposites / Rutan design Most of them look that way This thing can lift 250 ton, that's 2 C-5 loads !

[@thekinginyellow1744]

@@sablatnic8030 I agree that in laminar flow conditions that this correct, but I was thinking of turbulent conditions. Consider specifically if you have different airflow across the two horizontal stabilizers. This will create torque across the center wing section. That's a really long lever arm, so there will be a lot of torque.

[@sablatnic8030]

@@thekinginyellow1744 There are no problems, not in turbulens either, in bad turbulence you can see, on my model, several degrees difference in the incidence of the two fuselages, but the two stabilizers work as damping surfaces, that keep the whole thing under control. On one flight I controlled the elevators via a mixer, so I could use the elevators as servo rudders for a sort of wing twist, and on that flight I saw about ten degrees of difference between the fuselages, the wings just twisting, but still no problem, apart from a large adverse yaw - more in fact than the small rudders could hold. Still no problem, just use less aileron and/or enlarge the fins and rudders.

[@AluminumOxide]

Just wondering why the interior cockpit shots show the flight displays being censored

[@user-jh2ts2eb4q]

After spending billions - you showed a cargo plane the entire video and 10 seconds of the hypersonic plane with zero explanation about the hypersonic plane except saying how good you were at spending money.

[@eskees9498]

I believe the main focus for the company is to provide an affordable means for repeated hypersonic testing, not building a hypersonic plane.

[@bigmatze9375]

You do realize it’s all about the airborne launch platform?

[@cvspvr]

they say what the goal is at 0:54

[@yega3k]

Go build something of your own and then come back.

[@olderchin1558]

The rocket powered glide vehicle look like a glide missile or drone for the military like the Chinese WZ-8. I guess that is why little is said about it. But I do agree it is a waste of money to use a stratolauncher to hoist the vehicle to its launch point, an old 737 or B52 would have done just fine. The Chinese launch the WZ-8 from old soviet era bombers.

[@OneBiasedOpinion]

Not that this isn’t cool, but didn’t Virgin Galactic already do this exact same thing decades ago? Is there something different with this attempt?

[@EinhanderSn0m4n]

Bravo Zulu!

[@dei_stroyer]

What's the point of this when we now have an engine that swap from turbo to scram mid flight?

[@percival23]

You know a project is doomed when they don't clearly explain the end goal ....let alone achieve it.

[@FiglioBastardo]

They literally define their goal, repeatedly.

[@tukino9124]

Whats the point of making 3 wings 2 fuselage ? I aint that smart so

[@Dom1xel]

I’m convinced the billionaires only made ROC-1 so big so they can flip off Howard Hughes because that foam glider DIDNT need to be strapped to such a large aircraft 😅

[@danboy3399]

It was originally designed for launching space vehicles. This is light duty for it.

[@ernestgalvan9037]

@@danboy3399..ROC-1 has the necessary hardware/software/crew for this type of launch, ready to rock and roll. And they’ve done it before. Experience counts. Or they could have spent far more time, energy and money getting another aircraft ready modified, rated and ready.

[@pinhas-y5s]

That plane mothership looks so dumb. I mean, 28 wheels total? Also how does the supersonic vehicle land?

[@NvTwist]

Where’s the hero of the flight? Ah, it’s the participation trophy everyone’s the hero. At least the X-15 had a pilot aboard, this was akin to the launch of a model rocket on a dry lake bed only difference it’s being dropped off from a plane. Skipped the first stage, the vertical to horizontal flight transition….

[@danboy3399]

Good grief, It was a test.

[@ernestgalvan9037]

@@danboy3399…yeah, people such as @NvTwist expect a baby to dance a Tango, run a marathon, cure cancer, end hunger. and achieve World Peace , about two seconds after birth…. Kinda like full-grown Gods being born out of Zeus’s forehead…..

[@madmeh2929]

Layman here, what are they testing? Seems this was already covered by the X-15, or were those results lost or classified?

[@laStar972chuck]

Am I the only one more impressed with the huge ass plane than the fast rocket ?

[@anishpinto1]

What's a Jet Airways plane doing over there in the background at 3:18?