Hypersonic vehicle to be provided to DoD by Hypersonix
NewsMarch 17, 2023
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California. Hypersonix Launch Systems has won a contract to provide hypersonic vehicles to the United States’ Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) for testing, the company announced in a statement.
The company was chosen for the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT1) program, and will provide a hypersonic vehicle for "high cadence long-endurance testing of: hypersonic platforms and components; sensors for detecting and tracking; and systems for communications, navigation, guidance and control," the statement reads.
"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," the company adds. "DIU also wishes the flights to be repeated at short intervals."
Hypersonix will supply its DART AE vehicle, which uses 3D-printing and is powered by a scramjet engine. It has a payload bay of up to 20 lbs and is scheduled for first flight in early 2024, the company states.
