Tri-Service

Spaceplane Will Send Satellites Into Orbit At 10x Speed Of Sound

A military research agency is hoping to develop a reusable vehicle which will be able to give "quick, affordable and routine" access to space.

America’s Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) says that's becoming "increasingly critical for national security" - and hopes to build a passenger jet capable of flying 10 times the speed of sound to do so.

The advanced research facility awarded Boeing, Northrop Gumman and Virgin Galactic multi-million pound contracts to develop a prototype.

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DARPA's vision for the XS-1 spaceplane includes getting satellites into low orbit in a quick and affordable manner.

Key XS-1 technical goals include flying 10 times in 10 days, flying to Mach 10+ at least once and launching a representative small payload to orbit.

The program also seeks to reduce the cost of access to space for 3,000- to 5,000-pound payloads to around £3 million per flight.

The current cost of putting just 1lb into space is £6,500, according to NASA.

The XS-1 will fly at more than 6,500mph, or Mach 10 and above.

Jess Sponable, DARPA programme manager, said: “We chose performers who could prudently integrate existing and up-and-coming technologies and operations, while making XS-1 as reliable, easy to use and cost-effective as possible.

“We’re eager to see how their initial designs envision making spaceflight commonplace – with all the potential military, civilian and commercial benefits that capability would provide.”

Darpa said that the companies awarded the contracts for the XS-1 would be expected to look at how the vehicle could be used by military, civil and commercial operators.

As well as launching payloads into space, they will investigate how the spaceplane could support testing of future ultra-high speed aircraft and new spacecraft.