New Zealand-based Dawn Aerospace announced Thursday it has received certification from the Civil Aviation Authority in that country to fly its Mk-II Aurora space plane at unlimited speeds, including supersonic, up to an altitude of 80,000 feet. The Mk-II Aurora is a rocket-powered aircraft, designed to be the first vehicle ever to fly to 100 km altitude twice in a single day. “This unlocks the next major performance milestone for the Mk-II vehicle, namely supersonic flight,” said the company’s chief executive, Stefan Powell.
Seeking to go supersonic … In the last three years, Dawn has completed 50 flight tests under both jet and rocket power, operating under more restrictive licenses. This Mk-II Aurora vehicle measures 4.5 meters long and is powered by a combustion rocket engine fueled by kerosene and hydrogen peroxide. The upcoming flight test campaign, scheduled from July through September, will consist of up to a dozen flights. The primary objective is to test the vehicle’s speed up to Mach 1.1.