Hypersonix to launch hypersonic vehicles from SA

Hypersonic vehicles could be launched as early as 2025 following the signing of a MoU between South Australian spaceport provider Southern Launch and Queensland hypersonic vehicle and scramjet technology manufacturer Hypersonix Launch Systems.

Under the MoU, Hypersonix and Southern Launch will work together to develop a mission to launch and return Hypersonix’s test bed vehicles at either of Southern Launch’s two spaceports in SA.

Hypersonic aircraft fly at more than five times the speed of sound and require plenty of space to test and evaluate the technology.

To reach hypersonic speeds the Hypersonix’s aircraft will be launched on a rocket before separating and igniting its own scramjet engines to reach speeds up to Mach 12.

Hypersonix CEO Matt Hill said: “The intensity of hypersonic testing is set to rise rapidly and there are a huge number of both emerging technology companies and large aerospace companies that need hypersonic flight heritage for their products.

“Our hypersonic test bed will make this affordable for these companies to flight qualify their technology.”

Southern Launch operates the Whalers Way Orbital Launch complex near Port Lincoln, and the Koonibba Test Range near Ceduna, allowing launches over desert or the Southern Ocean.

Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said: “South Australia has some geographical advantages that make it the perfect place to test hypersonic vehicles.”

The two companies will begin collaborating on a concept of operations for a future commercial launch and return of a Hypersonix test bed vehicle.

Hypersonix’s long term ambition is to bring affordable aircraft-like operations to access to space, flying to the edge of space for spacecraft deployment and returning to land like a plane.

Hypersonic engines will also power a future generation of passenger aircraft with the potential of reducing the flight time from Adelaide to London to just two hours.

Picture: L-R: Matt Hill CEO Hypersonix, Lloyd Damp CEO Southern Launch, South Australian Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan MP, Matt Opie CEO Defence SA