Dawn Aerospace to start commercial operations after breaking sound barrier

Dawn Aerospace's rocket-powered space plane reached 25km above Earth. (Image: Dawn Aerospace)

Tue, 19 Nov 2024

Dawn Aerospace has flown at supersonic speeds for the first time, clearing the way to begin commercial operations in a few months.Its chief executive, Stefan Powell, said it was important to prove its pilotless rocket-powered aircraft, the Mark II Aurora, could break the sound barrier safely."There's a whole bunch of really interesting, sometimes problematic aerodynamic effects like buffeting and whatnot, that can cause your aircraft [to] do unexpected things."Commercial customers The test flight, launched near the base of Mt...

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