Tag: Hypersonic flight
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Stratolaunch resurrects its hypersonic rocket vehicle under a new name: Talon-A
An artist’s conception shows Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle. (Stratolaunch Illustration) Now that it’s under new management, Stratolaunch is retooling a concept for a rocket-powered hypersonic vehicle that it first unveiled 18 months ago. Back then, it was called the Hyper-A testbed vehicle, and it represented one of the engineering frontiers for Microsoft co-founder Paul…
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Systima expands facilities and workforce for hypersonic and weapon systems development
Systima Technologies was a subcontractor on the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation Program, or HIFiRE, in 2012. (AFRL Photo) Kirkland, Wash.-based Systima Technologies is taking on more employees and real estate to work on Defense Department contracts related to hypersonic and long-range weapon systems. The 18-year-old company specializes in high-performance composite structures, shrouds and payload…
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Farewell, Phantom Express: Boeing is pulling out of DARPA space plane program
An artist’s conception shows Boeing’s Phantom Express XS-1 space plane in flight. (Boeing Illustration) The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency says Boeing is dropping out of its Experimental Spaceplane Program immediately, grounding the XS-1 Phantom Express even though technical tests had shown the hypersonic space plane concept was feasible. “The detailed engineering activities conducted…
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After ownership change, Stratolaunch confirms that it’s still working on hypersonic vehicles
Stratolaunch’s swept-wing hypersonic testbed would be propelled by a liquid-fueled rocket engine. (Stratolaunch Illustration) It’s been three months since ownership of the Stratolaunch space venture was transferred from the late Seattle billionaire Paul Allen’s estate to a private equity firm, but the new owners say they’re still pursuing one of the old owner’s dreams: hypersonic…
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Hermeus wins seed funding for hypersonic aircraft, with former Blue Origin president as adviser
This artist’s conception shows Hermeus’ hypersonic aircraft. (Hermeus Illustration) Atlanta-based Hermeus Corp. says it’s won some high-profile seed funding for its effort to develop aircraft capable of flying more than five times the speed of sound The startup’s advisers includes Rob Meyerson, the former president of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture in…
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Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch Systems lays out a roadmap for hypersonic rocket planes
Stratolaunch’s swept-wing hypersonic testbed would be propelled by a rocket engine. (Stratolaunch Illustration) Stratolaunch Systems, the aerospace company created by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, says it’s exploring the development of a series of rocket planes that would serve as a testbed for hypersonic flight. Stephen Corda, Stratolaunch’s senior technical fellow for hypersonics, presented the concept…
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Going hypersonic: Boeing joins in $37.3M investment round for Reaction Engines
An artist’s conception shows a space plane powered by Reaction Engines’ SABRE system deploying an upper stage with a payload heading to orbit. (Reaction Engines Illustration) Boeing’s HorizonX venture investment arm is placing a big bet on hypersonic flight. Today it announced that it’s going in with Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems on a $37.3 million…