Stratolaunch Roc plane
Stratolaunch says it will increase the pace of test flights of its Roc aircraft this year as it prepares for a first flight of a hypersonic vehicle before the end of the year. Credit: Stratolaunch

WASHINGTON — Stratolaunch flew its giant aircraft Jan. 16 for just the third time as company executives promise a higher rate of flight activities this year, including the first flight of a hypersonic test vehicle.

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Jeff Foust writes about space policy, commercial space, and related topics for SpaceNews. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors in geophysics and planetary science...