Jane Edwards
The Defense Innovation Unit has awarded contracts to GE Aerospace subsidiary Innoveering and Hermeus to develop prototypes of hypersonic test systems for the Department of Defense under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities program.
Through the HyCAT program, Innoveering will work with subcontractors Specter Aerospace and Starfighters International to build a prototype air-breathing hypersonic testbed, DIU said Monday.
Innoveering, along with its subcontractors, will perform design maturation, modeling and simulation and system integration work on the air-launched hypersonic testbed prototype.
Under the DIU contract, Hermeus said it will use its high-speed flight test prototype, dubbed Quarterhorse, to conduct technical maturation and risk reduction work for future hypersonic aircraft.
According to DIU, the company will demonstrate aircraft subsystems and perform mission integration to drive the development of a reusable, dual-use hypersonic aircraft.
In April, the agency awarded contracts to Hypersonix Launch Systems, Fenix Space and Rocket Lab under the HyCAT program.
Hypersonix and Rocket Lab are expected to perform the first HyCAT flight in the fourth quarter of 2024. The planned mission will use Hypersonix’s scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicle, called DART AE, and Rocket Lab’s Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron rocket.
Fenix Space concluded initial flight trajectories and integrated concept design of its reusable tow-launch platform through the HyCAT initiative.
