Charles Stark Draper Laboratory has signed a multiyear agreement to develop guidance, navigation and control software that Stratolaunch will use on a liquid rocket-powered reusable air vehicle for hypersonic tests.

Stratolaunch is working on a reusable hypersonic vehicle designed to fly at speeds of up to Mach 7 to support hypersonic experiments, research and operational missions, SpaceNews reported Monday. Talon-A is an 8.5-meter-long hypersonic vehicle with a liquid-propellant rocket engine and a 3.4-meter wing span that can launch from the company’s carrier aircraft.

Stratolaunch Systems intends to establish industry partnerships on hypersonic efforts and continue high-speed flight testing activities by September, SpaceNews reported Wednesday.

Stratolaunch Systems completed the inaugural flight of a 500K-pound, all-composite aircraft on Saturday over the Mojave Desert in California.

Stratolaunch has introduced a suite of air-launch systems designed to bring satellites into different orbits or inclinations. The company said Monday its new offerings include the Pegasus space vehicle, which has performed more than 35 launches, and the Medium Launch Vehicle, which is designed for low-cost and flexible flight missions. Stratolaunch …

A Stratolaunch Systems-built aircraft designed to facilitate air launches of rockets to deliver satellites into orbit could perform its maiden flight as early as this summer, the Washington Post reported Monday. Company officials told reporters at the Space Symposium that taxi tests are now underway and that the aircraft could …

Stratolaunch Systems has completed a ground-based control test of its aircraft designed to facilitate air launches of rockets in order to bring satellites into low-Earth orbit, ValueWalk reported Wednesday. Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder who established Stratolaunch in 2011, said in a Twitter post that the Seattle, Washington-based company’s aircraft recorded 46 …

Stratolaunch Systems has signed an agreement with NASA to conduct engine tests at the agency’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, Space News reported Wednesday. NASA and Stratolaunch inked Sept. 13 the Space Act Agreement that contains a provision for reimbursable tests and related services to the company in support of …

Orbital ATK and Stratolaunch Systems, a subsidiary of Vulcan Aerospace, have formed a partnership in an effort to provide commercial launch customers access to low-Earth orbit through air-launch space services. Orbital ATK will initially supply several Pegasus XL rockets for integration with Stratolaunch’s aircraft as part of the partnership, the companies …

Aerojet Rocketdyne will supply six RL10C-1 production engines to Stratolaunch Systems Corp. under a contract for the third stage of a commercial air-launch system for Stratolaunch’s unmanned Thunderbolt rocket. Aerojet Rocketdyne said Monday the contract also contains an option for six additional RL10C-1 engines for The Eagles Launch System, which is scheduled to launch Thunderbolt into space in 2018. “This …

Edward Morris, former senior director for launch system programs at Stratolaunch Systems, has joined Decisive Analytics to serve as vice president for commercial space.

John Benac, former mechanical systems design and analysis engineer at Boeing, has joined NanoRacks to serve as director of engineering.

Melanie Preisser, previous vice president of government relations at Stratolaunch Systems, has joined York Space Systems as VP of national systems responsible for overseeing public and private sector relationships and commercial space industry growth efforts.

Seattle-based space industry leaders have urged Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., to help establish a space center in Washington in response to the state’s lag behind other states, including California and Texas, Geekwire reported Friday. Executives such as Aerospace Futures Alliance CEO Kelly Maloney and Aerojet Rocketdyne General Manager Ken Young …

Steven Nixon, vice president of strategic development at space transportation company  Stratolaunch Systems, has joined Ensco‘s board of directors. Greg Young, Ensco chairman of the board, said in a statement published Thursday Nixon will bring his experience and background to help drive the firm’s strategy and presence across the defense, space and intelligence …