The National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) has committed to a $10 million equity investment to help Hypersonix Launch Systems (HLS) test, develop, and manufacture their next generation hypersonic aircraft.
About Hypersonix Launch Systems
Hypersonix is an Australian aerospace company founded in Brisbane in 2019 with the long-term goal of building and commercialising its scramjet propelled multi-generational vehicles for dual use applications.
It is a global leader in hypersonic technology, and its DART vehicle is a hydrogen powered, air-breathing, scramjet aircraft that travels between Mach 5-7.
Hypersonix’s DART is a low cost, 3.5-metre, single-use vehicle that flies at Mach 5-7. They are manufactured in Australia and will be used as a testbed for other cutting-edge technologies.
The company’s future product roadmap includes:
- VISR: A reusable 8-metre unmanned aircraft that flies at Mach 5-10 and lands on a standard runway. It can be used for multiple applications including for long range military surveillance and cargo flights.
- DELTA VELOS: A reusable 16-metre aircraft that flies at Mach 5-12 and can be used for satellite launches and low earth supply runs.
Hypersonix is also home to HYPERTWIN X, a virtual hypersonic design, testing, and simulation environment that draws on data from over 6,000 shock tunnel experiments conducted at the University of Queensland.
Investment impact
National security
Australia’s National Defence Strategy 2024 identified hypersonic and counter hypersonic capabilities as a key defence priority with a $3 billion budget to be dispensed over the next decade. The development of hypersonic and counter hypersonic capabilities are also a very high priority for AUKUS alliance partners.
Commercialising Australian innovation and technology
Australia has been a global leader in hypersonic technology since 1989. Hypersonix was born at the University of Queensland, which has a hypersonic shock tunnel that has completed 6,000 test flights.
Environmental impact
While most scramjets use diesel, Hypersonix's patented SPARTAN scramjets are fuelled by hydrogen, which burns cleanly while still allowing for significant faster and longer flights.
Job creation
Hypersonix currently has 45 employees in Brisbane and successful testing and scaling of its product suite would create skilled jobs in design, engineering, and manufacturing of supply chain components.
Building Australia’s aerospace capability in regional Australia
NRFC investment contributes to the development of regional Queensland, which is emerging as a new hub for the design, development, and manufacturing of dual use aerospace systems.
Crowding-in private capital and foreign direct investment
Co-investors for this funding round include QIC, High Tor Capital, SaaB, and RKKVC, many of whom bring capital, global networks, critical industry expertise, and pathways to potential customers in the defence sector.