The agency’s Hypersonic Technology Project focuses on reusable, airbreathing hypersonic aircraft that draw in oxygen from the atmosphere, enabling sustained hypersonic cruise. NASA said such systems differ from rockets, which must carry their own oxidizer, and could support longer-duration and more practical hypersonic operations.
“With these awards, NASA will collaborate with the commercial hypersonics industry to identify new ways to evaluate technologies through flight tests while we address the challenges of reusable, routine, airbreathing, hypersonic flight,” said Dr. Nateri Madavan, director of NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program. The two contracts, awarded in August, are intended to help bridge the gap between ground testing and flight testing in a more affordable way.
SpaceWorks Enterprises of Atlanta received $500,000 to study modifications to its X-60 platform, while Stratolaunch of Mojave, California, received $1.2 million to focus on its Talon-A vehicle. NASA said the six-month studies could also support a future Making Advancements in Commercial Hypersonics project aimed at developing infrastructure, cost estimates, and schedules for commercial hypersonic flight vehicles.
