Hypersonix Achieves First Successful Hypersonic Flight with 3D Printed Scramjet Engine

Australian aerospace company Hypersonix Launch Systems has achieved a major milestone in hypersonic flight technology, completing the inaugural flight of its DART AE demonstrator aircraft powered by a 3D printed scramjet engine.

The mission, dubbed "That's Not A Knife," launched aboard Rocket Lab's HASTE vehicle from Virginia Spaceport on February 27, 2026, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit. The flight validated key propulsion and materials systems under real hypersonic conditions.

3D Printing Enables Extreme Performance

A defining feature of the DART AE vehicle is its additively manufactured scramjet engine, engineered to withstand extreme thermal and mechanical loads at hypersonic speeds. Unlike conventional jets, a scramjet compresses incoming air at supersonic speed and burns hydrogen within that flow, enabling sustained hypersonic travel.

The engine's intricate internal channels and cooling pathways demand precise geometry and heat-resistant materials, challenges that additive manufacturing solves by producing complex, integrated components impossible with traditional methods.

What This Means for Hypersonic Development

Hypersonic flight refers to speeds above Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). Hypersonix is developing autonomous aircraft designed for sustained operation at approaching Mach 12.

"Successfully flying DART AE in a true hypersonic environment confirms that an Australian company can design, build and operate technology in one of the most demanding flight regimes on Earth," said Hypersonix CEO Matt Hill. "It is an important step toward delivering hypersonic systems that are operationally relevant for Australia and its allies."

The company raised US$46 million in Series A funding from Australia's National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, Queensland Investment Corporation, High Tor Capital, Saab, and Polish family office RKKVC.

Sovereign Manufacturing Capability

The flight highlights the growing role of additive manufacturing in sovereign defense capabilities. With hypersonic aerospace systems imposing extreme material, thermal, and manufacturing demands, governments are prioritizing allied additive manufacturing to reduce dependency on distant suppliers.

In 2026, U.S. defense contractor L3Harris reported a tenfold reduction in production time for key hypersonic propulsion components using large-format additive manufacturing combined with robotics.