Mountain View, CA, United States (March 16, 2023) – Australia’s aerospace company Hypersonix Launch Systems has been selected to provide hypersonic vehicles to the United States’ Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for testing.The Australian start-up was selected from a field of major international aerospace companies competing for the DIU contract under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT1) program.The Silicon Valley-headquartered organization that taps into ‘non-traditional’ innovators, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and its U.S. Air Force and Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (USD R&E) partners, selected Hypersonix Launch Systems to provide a hypersonic vehicle for its Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT1) program. DIU’s contract with Hypersonix demonstrates the United States’ increased willingness to source commercial technologies from allied countries to meet urgent strategic challenges.DIU selected Hypersonix from the 63 respondents to the agency’s September 2022 HyCAT solicitation seeking vehicles usable for high cadence long-endurance testing of: hypersonic platforms and components; sensors for detecting and tracking; and systems for communications, navigation, guidance and control. Specifically, DIU requested a vehicle capable of operating in a ‘representative environment’ that can maintain speeds above Mach 5 with a manoeuvrable/non-ballistic flight profile and at least a 3-minute flight duration with near-constant flight conditions. DIU also wishes the flights to be repeated at short intervals. DART AE 3d printing Hypersonix responded with its DART AE (Additive Engineering) vehicle. DART AE makes significant use of 3D-printing and is powered by a hydrogen-fuelled SPARTAN scramjet engine, capable of flying non-ballistic flight patterns at speeds of Mach 5 to Mach 7 and up to 1000 kms in range (400 seconds flight time). The DART AE has a modular payload bay of up to 20 lbs and Hypersonix plans to fly it in early 2024.“Our vehicles are capable of non-ballistic flight patterns to at least Mach 7, which exceeds the HyCAT1 specification,” David Waterhouse, Managing Director, Hypersonix Launch Systems.”“Our longer-term focus is to capture a slice of the emerging multi-billion-dollar commercial market for deployment of small satellites, but clearly Australia’s strategic defence allies see immediate potential in our technology.”“This is our first major contract and a key step in our commercialisation process – we couldn’t be happier. This puts Australia one step closer to being a major player in the international space race,” David Waterhouse added.
One point I've been holding in favour of hypersonic air-breathing first stages is that they are now standing to benefit from military investment. With Relativity Space's near-success with their first launch, the advances of 3D printing are now opening up development cycles a lot faster.
The casual reader may be wondering what the Aussies are doing flying cutting-edge hypersonic vehicles... well, they've been at it for a long time, with a lot of involvement from the US and UK. The first* in-atmosphere test of a scramjet was the HyShot flight in 2002 and tested a scramjet made by UK company Qinetiq.*Actually the Soviets tested them on a SAM back in the 90s, and Soviets+90s explains why it never went anywhere.
Colorado Springs, CO- 17th April 2023- Hypersonix USA, Inc is partnering with established launch provider Rocket Lab USA, Inc for the first launch of DART AE.Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU’s) hypersonic and high-cadence testing capabilities (HyCAT) project and its mission partners are prototyping a suite of modern, low-cost, high-cadence, dual-use airborne testing platforms (vehicles) that provide data that accelerates the evaluation of potential systems, concepts, technologies, and mission sets.Hypersonix was selected to provide a vehicle solution for the HyCAT project. The scramjet engine requires a boost to Mach 5 in order to self-ignite. Once flying at this speed, the oxygen-breathing and hydrogen-fuelled engine, manufactured out of high temperature alloys, is capable of accelerating to speeds of up to Mach 7.Rocket Lab has built a strong track record of reliable launches and a reputation for its ability to work rapidly to meet the needs of Customers.Hypersonix’ solution, DART AE (Additive Engineering), makes significant use of 3D-printing and is powered by a single patented 3D printed SPARTAN scramjet engine. The advanced fixed geometry of the engine and smart design of the DART AE vehicle developed by Hypersonix provide a simple, reliable service. Rocket Lab’s Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) rocket will safely bring DART AE to its initial operating speed, allowing DART AE to demonstrate its non-ballistic flight patterns, acceleration, flexible engine burns and up to 1000 km range, and collect valuable flight data from its journey at hypersonic speed.Hypersonix and Rocket Lab, two new space companies, are no strangers to each other and have been considering avenues of cooperation since 2020. The two companies share a similar outlook on customer requirements in a growing market for simple solutions to high availability and high cadence launch. This opportunity to work together will show the attractive benefits of a new space culture and approach.David Waterhouse, CEO Hypersonix, commented: “We have looked at various launch providers globally, as DART AE is designed to work with a variety of boosters. We are particularly excited to get our first ride from Rocket Lab. Their track record of successful launches, their team as well as their rockets are impressive and we look forward to seeing DART AE fly for the first-time next year”.Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck added: “We look forward to partnering with the innovative team at Hypersonix to deliver highly capable, frequent, and cost-effective hypersonic and suborbital test opportunities.”
Australian hypersonic propulsion startup Hypersonix will supply 20 DART-AE testbed hypersonic scramjet vehicles to US-based Kratos Defense and Security Solutions.The 3m long craft, intended to reach speeds of up to Mach 7 (8600km/h), will be delivered after the first three prototypes have completed a demonstration and testing program with the Pentagon’s Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities program next year.The space, missile and hypersonics firm Kratos has previously been involved in several Australian hypersonic tests with the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) and the University of Queensland (UQ).The new Exclusive Teaming Agreement takes that cooperation to a whole new level.“We are excited to begin manufacturing and supplying DART AE vehicles to the US market as soon as possible,” says Hypersonix CEO David Waterhouse. “We are proud that DART AE will fill an important role, including as a hypersonic test system and platform, collecting critical flight data related to multiple mission applications at hypersonic speeds.”
Thanks for posting the video. I wish them the best, but count me deeply dubious:1) Carbon fiber. You need $$$$$ to work on a space plane made of that. 2) Air-breathing robust hydrogen scram jet. Yeah, the US military has made that work well... not. 3) 150 kg to orbit. Not enough margin, not enough cargo capacity.
