Hypersonix and Boeing Research & Technology will conduct a joint study on the design of a reusable hypersonic vehicle to be used for the sustainable launch of satellites to low earth orbit .

“This low cost, reliable, reusable and rapid turn-around launch of small satellites to LEO would be the first application of scramjets for space launch,’’ Hypersonix said.

Nasa believes scramjet-powered vehicles could operate at speeds up to at least Mach 15. Ground tests of scramjet combustors have shown this potential, but no flight tests have surpassed the Mach 9.6.

Queensland has some history with scramjets. The University of Queensland carried out the first atmospheric test of a scramjet and has a Centre for Hypersonics.

Hypersonix said it had developed a fifth-generation green hydrogen powered scramjet engine known as SPARTAN, which was a fully composite reusable accelerating scramjet engine, capable of speeds of Mach 12, or about 15,000 kph

The SPARTAN system has already been 6000 test firings and 11 sub-orbital flights through the HiFire program, which is is one of the largest collaborative research programs between Australia and the USA. It aims to explore the fundamental science of hypersonics and the potential for next generation aeronautical systems.

There has already been about 30 years of research on scramjet technology.

Hypersonix co-founder Dr Michael Smart said the hypersonic space launch system would provide satellite network operators with a green and sustainable way of launching satellites to low earth orbit.

“Boeing’s long history with sophisticated high-speed airframe design and hypersonic flight makes them an ideal partner for Hypersonix,’’ he said.

Smart spent 10 years as a research scientist the the Nasa Langley Research Centre

Hypersonix is also working with BOC on the supply of green hydrogen as fuel for the SPARTAN scramjet.

Hydrogen was considered the ideal fuel because it had very high thrust and was light.

Boeing’s Dr Kevin Bowcutt said the company had decades of experience testing and operating hypersonic technology, including supporting NASA and US Air Forice in flying the very first air-breathing hypersonic test vehicles.

“This makes Boeing the right company to partner with to develop a revolutionary new approach to delivering payload to space in a sustainable way,” he said.