Holy crap, we're living in the future and nobody told me. A hypersonic aircraft that could literally fly me around the ENTIRE planet in the time it takes to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy (extended editions not included) has successfully completed two test flights. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this.

The Talon-A2 reached speeds of about 3,800mph during these tests. That's FIVE TIMES the speed of sound. Let that sink in for a second.

What the hell just happened?

The Pentagon finally spilled teh beans that these groundbreaking flights happened in December 2024 and March 2025. I'm honestly a bit annoyed they kept this under wraps for so long - imagine having this kind of tech and not immediately bragging about it on Twitter.

If you're wondering how this thing even gets airborne, it's pretty wild. The hypersonic drone gets a piggyback ride from Roc - which happens to be the world's largest airplane with a wingspan stretching 385 feet. (For comparison, that's longer than a football field. Ridiculous.)

Once Roc reaches the right altitude over the Pacific, it releases Talon-A2 like a parent dropping their kid off at college. Then the magic happens.

Speed that makes your face melt

The drone eventually touched down at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California after reaching that insane 3,800mph speed. I spent $230 on a speeding ticket last year for going 78 in a 65 zone. These folks are out here doing FIVE TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND.

But I shouldn't be surprised. The thing is powered by a 5,000lb-thrust Hadley rocket engine. I don't even know what that means exactly, but it sounds expensive and powerful.

Stratolaunch operates the Talon-A2 as part of a Pentagon program. The company was founded back in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Must be nice having billions to spend on hypersonic toys.

The X-15 legacy lives on

These flights are actually pretty historic. They mark the first time the US has conducted reusable hypersonic testing since the X-15 program ended in 1968. That program was a joint effort between NASA, the Air Force and Navy, and managed to hit speeds of 5,100mph before they shut it down.

Listen. This isn't just cool science for the sake of it. The US has been ramping up hypersonic weapons research as tensions with China and Russia continue to simmer. Nothing says "we're still friends, right?" like developing vehicles that can deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under 7 hours.

Coming soon to an airport near you? (Probably not)

Meanwhile, civilian hypersonic travel is also making progress. Venus Aerospace is developing the Venus Stargazer, a passenger jet that could potentially fly from London to New York in just ONE HOUR. They're planning a flight demo later this summer, apparently.

Their engine features some NASA-funded nozzle design that will supposedly allow for speeds exceeding Mach 5 (around 3,800mph). Venus Aerospace claims the Stargazer M4 will be "Earth's first hypersonic, reusable aircraft" making "two-hour global transport cost-effective."

Cost-effective? Yeah right. I'm guessing tickets will cost more than my apartment. But a man can dream...

The company says their vehicle will "ascend from a central airport using advanced propulsion systems" and "accelerate from taxi to cruise speeds of Mach 4 at 110,000 feet with a top speed capable of Mach 9."

I remember when I was a kid in 2003 and thought we'd have flying cars by now. Instead, we got hypersonic planes that can circle the Earth in 6.5 hours. Not what I expected, but I'll take it.

The beginning of something terrifying... or amazing?

I can't decide if this technology makes me excited or nervous. Probably both. The idea of being able to go anywhere on Earth in under 7 hours is incredible. The idea of weapons being able to do the same thing? Less awesome.

Either way, the hypersonic age is apparently here. And I'm still trying to figure out how to get my microwave to heat food evenly.