World roster → Hypersonix Launch Systems
DART AE
DART AE is an orbital launch vehicle currently flying operated by Hypersonix Launch Systems of Carole Park, Brisbane, Queensland, 3 m tall, 1 stages.
| Operator | Hypersonix Launch Systems · Carole Park, Brisbane, Queensland |
|---|---|
| Status | Currently flying |
| First flight | 2026 |
| Height | 3 m |
| Stages | 1 |
| Engines | 1 × SPARTAN scramjet |
| Propellant | Hydrogen, burned with atmospheric oxygen |
| Reuse | Expendable — nothing is recovered |
| Launch sites | LC-2, Wallops, Virginia — carried aloft by Rocket Lab HASTE |
Flew 27 February 2026 and sustained powered flight beyond Mach 5 — the first hydrogen scramjet flight of its kind, and Australia's. A 3 m, 300 kg airframe printed as a single piece in high-temperature alloy, designed for Mach 7 and about 1,000 km. It carries no oxidiser: SPARTAN has no moving parts and takes its oxygen from the air, so the exhaust is water vapour. Not a launch vehicle — it is lifted to speed by a HASTE rocket and flies from there, which is why it appears here as a hypersonic testbed rather than a way to orbit.
About Hypersonix Launch Systems
Air-breathing rather than rocket-powered: hydrogen scramjets, 3D-printed in one piece, aimed eventually at reusable access to orbit. Founded 2019. Official site.