Hypersonix Launch Systems wins $8M MMI grant to manufacture and launch 3D printed DART AE technology demonstrator

More details have emerged about Hypersonix Launch Systems’ $8 million Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant, announced 21 April. The grants were awarded to successful applicants under the MMI Defence Translation stream.

Hypersonix Launch Systems won $8 million for the DART AE Multi-mission Hypersonic Drone Technology Demonstrator using Additive Engineering.

Hypersonix first announced it was developing the DART AE in November 2021. The company believes key factors for Hypersonix technology being demonstrated by DART AE are scalability of manufacture, reliability, cost effectiveness and high cadence of manufacture, enabling multiple low-cost launches in a short time frame.

With this latest grant award, Hypersonix Launch Systems secured funding for the 3D printed version of the DART vehicle, DART AE, which is scheduled for launch in 2023.

In addition, the recently announced $2.95 million Cooperative Research Centres Projects grant from the Australian federal government (awarded to Hypersonix and its partners in late-March 2022) for the re-usable high temperature composite version of DART, DART CMP, builds on the successful completion of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources Accelerating Commercialisation Grant for the build of a prototype scramjet engine and fuel system, completed in March 2022.

According to David Waterhouse, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Hypersonix: “The MMI grant will provide a catalyst to our growth in Australia and ability to grow Australia’s export market in this key area of aerospace technology.”

Co-founder of Hypersonix and CTO Michael Smart added: “[The grant] gives us the necessary funding to quickly progress our core scramjet technology that has been fully developed in Australia.”