Dawn Aerospace Completes Five Successful Spaceplane Flights

Dawn Aerospace Advances Suborbital Spaceplane Development

The field of rocket launches is experiencing rapid growth, however, the development of suborbital spaceplanes remains a relatively uncrowded area. This presents significant opportunities for emerging companies like Dawn Aerospace.

Recent Flight Tests

Dawn Aerospace has recently concluded five successful test flights of its Mk-II Aurora spaceplane. This vehicle is engineered for flights reaching altitudes of up to 60 miles above the Earth’s surface.

These flights, conducted in July at the Glentanner Aerodrome located in New Zealand’s South Island, focused on evaluating the spaceplane’s airframe and avionics systems. Although the vehicle attained altitudes of 3,400 feet during these tests, valuable data was collected.

Design and Cost Advantages

Dawn Aerospace is pursuing a design that allows for takeoff and landing from standard airports. The goal is to enable multiple flights to and from space each day. This approach offers a substantial cost advantage compared to traditional vertical launch systems.

The Mk-II spaceplane is remarkably compact, measuring less than 16 feet in length and weighing only 165 pounds when empty. Its small size contributes to reduced operational expenses.

Future Development: Mk-III Spaceplane

The Mk-II represents the second iteration of Dawn Aerospace’s spaceplane technology. However, the company’s ambitions extend further.

Plans are in place to develop the Mk-III spaceplane, a two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. This advanced spaceplane will be capable of performing scientific research, gathering atmospheric data, and supporting weather observations and climate modeling.

While the Mk-II has a payload capacity of 3U (less than 8.8 pounds), the Mk-III will significantly increase this capability, with the ability to carry up to 551 pounds to orbit.

Enhancements and Certifications

A rocket engine will eventually be integrated into the Mk-II, enabling supersonic speeds and facilitating high-altitude testing.

Last December, Dawn Aerospace achieved a key regulatory milestone by receiving an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. This certification permits operation of the Mk-II from airports.

Collaborative Research

The company has also secured a grant, in collaboration with Radar Based Avionics and MetaSensing, from the province of Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands. This grant will fund testing of a low-power sense and detect radar system.

This demonstration is scheduled for the following year, contingent upon minor modifications to the Mk-II, as stated by CEO Stefan Powell to TechCrunch.