Stratolaunch Secures Major Funding to Fuel U.S. Hypersonic Edge

MOJAVE, Calif. – January 20, 2026 – In a move set to significantly accelerate America's development of high-speed defense technologies, Stratolaunch announced today it has completed a major capital raise. The deal brings in Elliott Investment Management L.P. as a new partner, joining existing investor Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., to supercharge the company's production of reusable hypersonic test vehicles.

This infusion of private capital is poised to directly address a critical national security bottleneck: the ability to frequently and affordably test technologies at speeds exceeding Mach 5. The funding will enable Stratolaunch to rapidly scale its operations, solidifying its role as a cornerstone of the American defense industrial base at a time of heightened global competition in hypersonic capabilities.

Answering the Call for Speed and Scale

The investment comes as the United States seeks to outpace strategic rivals in the deployment of hypersonic systems. These technologies, capable of traveling at extreme speeds with high maneuverability, are considered a top priority for the Department of War. However, a primary obstacle to rapid development has been the lack of available, routine, and cost-effective flight testing opportunities.

Stratolaunch aims to solve this problem. The new capital will be used to increase the production of its autonomous, reusable Talon-A hypersonic vehicles, boost the frequency of test flights, and pursue the acquisition of additional carrier aircraft. This expansion is designed to provide the Pentagon and its partners with more frequent and operationally relevant demonstrations.

"At a time when speed, scale, capability, and execution matter more than ever, this investment enables Stratolaunch to move faster and think bigger," said Zachary Krevor, President and CEO of Stratolaunch. "The United States does not have time for incrementalism. We're building the infrastructure, vehicles, and flight capacity required to deliver hypersonic capability at a pace that matches the urgency of today's threat environment."

This strategy directly aligns with the Administration's mandate for defense contractors to eliminate barriers to fielding new capabilities and to strengthen the domestic industrial base through speed and execution.

Private Equity's Bet on National Security

The partnership of Elliott and Cerberus highlights a growing trend of sophisticated private capital flowing into critical defense technology sectors. Elliott, a global investment firm managing approximately $76.1 billion, is known for its activist approach and strategic investments. Its entry into Stratolaunch signals a strong conviction in the company's business model and its central role in the future of defense testing.

"We look forward to partnering with Cerberus and the Stratolaunch management team to support the growth of the company," said David Kerko, head of global private equity at Elliott. "We are pleased that our capital can help extend the company's market leadership in hypersonic testing services and enable its continued expansion."

Existing owner Cerberus Capital Management, which acquired Stratolaunch in 2019, has been instrumental in pivoting the company from its original space-launch ambitions to its current mission as a hypersonics technology accelerator. With a dedicated investment platform focused on national security and supply chain integrity, Cerberus has cultivated Stratolaunch to fill a vital gap in the nation's defense ecosystem.

"From the start, our focus at Stratolaunch has been disciplined execution, building an enduring business aligned with one of our country's most important priorities," commented Michael Palmer, Cerberus' Co-Head of Supply Chain and Strategic Opportunities. "We're proud to welcome a partner who shares that vision as the company expands to meet the urgent need for scaled hypersonics."

Scaling a Game-Changing Testing Platform

At the core of Stratolaunch's offering is a unique air-launch system. It features "Roc," the world's largest aircraft by wingspan, which acts as a mobile, flying launchpad. Roc carries the Talon-A testbed to a high altitude before releasing it to begin its autonomous, hypersonic flight.

Crucially, the Talon-A vehicle is designed for reusability. Unlike traditional single-use test rockets, it can be recovered, refurbished, and flown again. This approach promises to dramatically lower the cost-per-flight and compress the 'design-test-learn' cycle that is fundamental to developing complex new systems. The company has already completed multiple successful flights, including a key powered hypersonic test for the Pentagon last year, proving the viability of its platform.

The new funding will allow Stratolaunch to move beyond one-off demonstrations and build a true fleet. By increasing the number of Talon-A vehicles and adding more carrier aircraft, the company can reduce its reliance on a single asset and potentially conduct parallel test campaigns, offering unprecedented access to the hypersonic flight environment for its government and commercial customers.

This shift from demonstration to high-tempo operations is what Stratolaunch believes will ultimately break the logjam in U.S. hypersonic development. The ability to fly, gather data, recover the vehicle, and fly again in rapid succession provides an invaluable stream of real-world performance data that cannot be replicated through ground tests or digital modeling alone.

"Credibility comes from demonstrated capability delivered at scale," Krevor added. "We've already demonstrated hypersonic capability and now it's time to deliver at scale. We're proud to accelerate our mission and answer our country's call for expanding hypersonic production capacity while increasing our nation's hypersonic flight cadence."