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Dawn Aerospace’s Spaceplane Aims for April Test Flight

By Jack Kuhr
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Image: Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace’s rocket-powered Mk-II Aurora suborbital vehicle is expected to make its maiden flight in April after getting regulatory approval from New Zealand to fly last week. 

Mk-II Aurora spaceplane: Dawn Aerospace has already completed 48 test flights using traditional jet engines. The upcoming launch marks the first time a remotely piloted, rocket-powered vehicle has been flight certified for a civil airport, according to the company.

  • The Mk-II is a suborbital plane capable of reaching heights of over 100 km.
  • Applications include earth monitoring, microgravity research, and disaster management.
  • The plane is fully reusable and will be able to fly twice a day.

Dawn is betting that horizontal take-off and landing rockets can significantly reduce the cost of space travel while increasing the frequency of flights. 

Looking ahead: Late last year, Dawn Aerospace raised $13M to continue developing Mk-III, a two-stage orbital spaceplane, and its in-space propulsion technologies.

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