La startup germano-británica HYPERSONICA ha logrado un hito histórico al completar con éxito el primer vuelo de prueba de su prototipo del misil hipersónico HS-1 en Noruega. Durante el ensayo, el proyectil alcanzó velocidades superiores a Mach 6 (más de 7,320 km/h) y recorrió una distancia de 300 km con todos sus sistemas funcionando correctamente. Este logro convierte a HYPERSONICA en la primera empresa privada europea en alcanzar este nivel de desarrollo en estas tecnologías potencialmente disruptivas. La compañía afirma que su enfoque innovador permite reducir los costos en un 90% y los tiempos de desarrollo en un 80% frente a proyectos tradicionales. El objetivo final es tener el sistema totalmente operativo para el año 2029, para posicionarse como un competidor clave en el área de misiles para la defensa europea.
German-British defense-space startup Hypersonica announced on Tuesday, February 10, the successful completion of the first test flight of its HS-1 hypersonic missile prototype at the Andøya Space Center in Norway. Hypersonica emphasizes that they have become the first private European company to reach this technological milestone.
It is stated that during the missile’s flight, all systems operated normally, and at the level of individual components, their functionality was confirmed at hypersonic speeds.
The hypersonic missile prototype reportedly accelerated to speeds exceeding Mach 6 (over 7,320 km/h) during testing. It flew over 300 km (we emphasize that this is the distance the missile covered in these tests, not its maximum capability).
As company CEO Dr. Philip Kört told Hartpunkt in an interview, the hypersonic missile prototype is their own development, while the engine for it was purchased from another company.
Startup Hypersonica was founded just a few years ago, in 2023, while only nine months passed from design to the first flight of the HS-1 hypersonic missile. They have an ambitious goal to reach TRL-9 readiness level by 2029 (complete development and demonstrate its effectiveness in operational conditions).
They also claim that thanks to their approach, they can potentially save up to 80% of time and 90% of costs on their hypersonic missile compared to traditional projects.
Regarding the tactical-technical characteristics of the HS-1 hypersonic missile, it is known that its mass exceeds 1 ton, and its length is slightly less than 10 meters.
Defense Express notes that this project will be worth watching. Still, at the same time, doubts may arise about whether a complex project like a hypersonic missile can be fully realized by a startup assembled just a few years ago.
It is also worth remembering competitors, such as the V-MAX hypersonic glider being developed by France, which had its first flight in 2023.
Fuente: https://en.defence-ua.com
