The future is fast.
Australian aerospace company Hypersonix Launch Systems successfully completed the first flight of its next generation DART AE hypersonic aircraft.
Hypersonic flights refer to speeds above Mach 5 — more than five times the speed of sound — and this maiden mission represented a major milestone for Australia's advanced aerospace capability.
The achievement follows Hypersonix’s $46 million Series A funding round from last year that was backed by the Australian Government established National Reconstruction Fund Corporation and Queensland Investment Corporation — an investment that signals strong national confidence in the company’s technology.
By demonstrating DART AE in real hypersonic conditions, Hypersonix has shown that Australia can design, build and fly world‑class aerospace systems — capabilities that can strengthen our innovation ecosystem and global partnerships.
The Brisbane-based company is also developing a new class of autonomous hypersonic aircraft capable of Mach 12, paving the way for the next generation of ultra‑high‑speed aviation.
Landmark Aussie flight test in the US
The breakthrough mission, That’s Not A Knife, lifted off on Friday 27 February (US Eastern Time Zone) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 within the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.
It was aboard Rocket Lab’s HASTE launch vehicle, and the flight was conducted under the US Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit.
During the mission, HASTE carried DART AE to the planned deployment point in the upper atmosphere. The Aussie aircraft then executed its hypersonic mission, gathering invaluable technical data for the team to analyse in the coming weeks.
A transformational moment for Aussie aerospace
“This mission allowed us to test propulsion, materials and control systems in real hypersonic conditions.
“At these speeds and temperatures, there is no substitute for flight data. The results from this mission will directly shape the design of future operational hypersonic aircrafts.”
~ Hypersonix co-founder and former NASA research scientist Dr Michael Smart
“Successfully flying DART AE in a true hypersonic environment confirms 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 hypersonic systems that are operationally relevant for Australia and its allies.”
~ Hypersonix CEO Matt Hill
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Main image: The Hypersonix DART AE vehicle aboard Rocket Lab’s HASTE launch vehicle at the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia US.
Credit: Hypersonix
