Blast-off! Aussie hypersonic aircraft achieves first flight

The mission, dubbed “That’s not a knife”, launched at 7pm Eastern Time on Friday, 27 February (11am AEDT Saturday, 28 February). The test vehicle was carried to altitude aboard the Rocket Lab HASTE rocket launched from Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

Once released in the upper atmosphere, the DART AE vehicle conducted its hypersonic flight profile, gathering critical technical data before completing the mission.

The flight was conducted under the US Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit, which partners with industry to accelerate emerging defence technologies.

Hypersonic flight refers to speeds exceeding Mach 5 – more than five times the speed of sound. Hypersonix is developing a new class of autonomous aircraft capable of sustained flight at speeds of up to Mach 12.

The company’s flagship vehicle, DART AE, is a 3.5-metre autonomous aircraft designed to test propulsion systems, materials, sensors and guidance technologies under genuine hypersonic conditions.

Hypersonix co-founder Dr Michael Smart, a former NASA research scientist and former chair of hypersonic propulsion at the University of Queensland, said the successful mission validates years of development work.

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“This mission allowed us to test propulsion, materials and control systems in real hypersonic conditions,” Smart said.

“At these speeds and temperatures, there is no substitute for real flight data. The information gathered will directly inform the design of future operational hypersonic aircraft.”

Hypersonix chief executive Matt Hill said the successful flight represents a defining moment for both the company and Australia’s advanced aerospace industry.

“This flight reflects years of focused engineering work and the confidence placed in us by our partners,” Hill said.

“Successfully flying DART AE in a true hypersonic environment demonstrates that an Australian company can design, build and operate technology in one of the most demanding flight regimes on Earth. It is an important step toward delivering operationally relevant hypersonic systems for Australia and its allies.”

The milestone follows a recent $46 million Series A funding round secured by Hypersonix. The investment was backed by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation and Queensland Investment Corporation.

The round was led by High Tor Capital, with additional support from European defence firm Saab and Polish investment group RKKVC.

The funding will support an expanded flight test program, scale up advanced manufacturing in Queensland and accelerate development of the company’s next hypersonic platform, known as VISR – Velos Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.

Hypersonix currently employs more than 50 staff in Brisbane across aerospace engineering, advanced manufacturing and testing roles.

The company specialises in the design, manufacture and operation of autonomous hypersonic aircraft powered by scramjet engines, capable of sustained flight at extreme speeds, ranges and altitudes.