How engineers plan world's first hydrogen-powered hypersonic jet

The article discusses the development of the world’s first hydrogen-powered hypersonic jet, highlighting the efforts of Hypersonix Launch Systems, a Brisbane-based aerospace startup. Building on the legacy of the SR-71 Blackbird, the new generation of hypersonic aircraft aims to achieve sustained speeds of Mach 5 to Mach 12 using hydrogen-fueled scramjet engines. Hypersonix’s Spartan scramjet engine, entirely 3D-printed from high-temperature alloys, is designed for efficiency and thermal resilience at these extreme speeds. Their 11.5-foot DART AE demonstrator, scheduled for a test flight from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, seeks to prove the viability of green hydrogen as a clean, high-energy fuel for hypersonic propulsion, potentially transforming both military and civilian aviation. This development is part of a broader global race in hypersonic technology, driven by strategic defense competition involving the US, China, Russia, and European entities. While other companies and agencies