Parts for a hydrogen “spaceplane” to deploy small satellites to low earth orbit are likely to be made in Sydney.
Hypersonix Launch Systems is investigating the manufacture of flight-critical components for its green hydrogen-powered launch vehicles at the University of Sydney.
“Delta Velos” will be powered by four green hydrogen-fuelled scramjet engines, enabling carbon neutral propulsion. It will also include the world’s first 3-D printed fixed geometry (no moving parts) scramjet engine in Australia, completed under the Australian Commercialisation grant awarded to Hypersonix in August 2020.
The aerospace engineering start-up has signed a Master Research Collaboration Agreement (MRCA) with the University of Sydney to research and manufacture the components of a zero-emissions, hypersonic spaceplane.
Using next generation additive manufacturing technology, University of Sydney researchers will develop flight-critical components (including the spaceplane’s launch system), further versions of the scramjet engine (testing several material components) and vehicle fuselage at the university’s Sydney Manufacturing Hub launched in December 2021 by enterprise, investment and trade minister Stuart Ayres.
The research team will be led by professor Simon Ringer, a materials engineer and expert in materials development for additive manufacturing at the University of Sydney, whose team will work alongside Hypersonix chief technology officer Dr Michael Smart.
“Additive manufacturing is making the previously impossible, possible, Ringer says. “This includes the proposed manufacture of satellite-launching spaceplane components right here at the University of Sydney’s Darlington campus, situated in the very heart of Tech Central.”
Hypersonix managing director David Waterhouse says it had received considerable interest for its recently announced DART AE project – a demonstrator and small version of Delta Velos – and would possibly involve the University of Sydney in that project too.
“We are aiming to launch DART AE in the first quarter of 2023.”
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