Stephen Kuper

Brisbane-based aerospace company Hypersonix Launch Systems confirmed that its DART AE hypersonic test aircraft completed the mission following launch from Wallops Flight Facility in the US over the weekend.

The mission will see Hypersonix’s 3.5-metre DART AE hypersonic vehicle carried into the upper atmosphere aboard a HASTE rocket operated by Rocket Lab. The launch window opens at 4pm US Eastern Time on Wednesday, 25 February, corresponding to 7am AEDT on Thursday, 26 February.

The ramp-up in production follows strong performance during ground and flight testing, the manufacturer says, with multiple aircraft now undergoing evaluation.

The findings, published as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program investigation, mark one of the most serious official rebukes of a human spaceflight mission in recent years and underscore ongoing challenges with Starliner, which was intended to serve as a second crew transport system alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

Airbus-backed high-altitude platform specialist AALTO HAPS has confirmed that Australia is the preferred location for the next launch and landing site of its Zephyr solar-powered stratospheric aircraft, as the company moves to build a domestic payload and research ecosystem to support future operations.

Dr Kimberly Camrass is currently Head of Sustainability for Asia Pacific and India at Boeing, where she leads regional aviation decarbonisation efforts, including sustainable aviation fuel advocacy, policy development and cross-sector partnerships.