Australian space start-up Hypersonix Launch Systems and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have announced an agreement to bring the Dart AE hypersonic drone system to the US market.
The three-metre-long Dart AE is a single-use, high temperature alloy, hydrogen-fuelled, scramjet technology driven, autonomous, multi-mission, air- breathing hypersonic platform used to develop hypersonic technologies and for “other” potential hypersonic applications.
It can travel at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 12.
With Kratos’ Zeus and other rocket propulsion systems, Kratos and Hypersonix aim to frequently and reliably deliver an affordable, high cadence, high availability, overall hypersonic capable system and vehicle to the hypersonic customer community, says Manufacturers’ Monthly.
Hypersonix is an Australian aerospace engineering, design and manufacturing company, specialising in hypersonic technology and scramjet engines using “green-fuelled” launch technology.
The “teaming agreement” means Kratos will initially obtain up to 20 Dart AE systems once the combined flight system has been successfully demonstrated.
Both companies view the agreement as an important step towards rapid future hypersonic flights in the US.
