Bremen-based company Polaris builds hypersonic aircraft for the Bundeswehr
The aerospace company Polaris is building an unmanned hypersonic aircraft for the Bundeswehr. It is to be delivered in 2027.
Artistic representation of Hytev
(Image: Polaris Raumflugzeuge)
The Bundeswehr wants to acquire an unmanned hypersonic aircraft. The aerospace company Polaris Raumflugzeuge, based in Bremen, is to build it.
The Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) has commissioned Polaris Raumflugzeuge to develop a reusable hypersonic aircraft, the company announced via LinkedIn. “To our knowledge, an order for a comparable system has never before been awarded to a company in Europe, perhaps even worldwide.”
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externes YouTube-Video (Google Ireland Limited) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (Google Ireland Limited) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
The aircraft, designated Hytev, an abbreviation for Hypersonic Test and Experimentation Vehicle, is a two-stage vehicle that is intended to take off and land like a conventional aircraft. It is primarily intended as a flying test platform for research. According to Polaris, it is also possible to launch satellites into space with the upper stage.
As big as a fighter jet
Hytev will be about the size of a fighter jet. It will be powered by two turbofan engines and a linear aerospike rocket engine, which Polaris is developing itself. The upper stage has only one rocket engine.
Polaris has been working on the hypersonic aircraft for some time. The Bremen-based company has already built and tested several prototypes: the first, the 2.5-meter-long Stella, flew for the first time in 2020, followed by its successors Aelda and Athena in the autumn of 2022. The current demonstrator, the 8.5-meter-long Nova, is intended to reach twice the speed of sound, about 2500 km/h, and ascend to an altitude of 20 kilometers.
Videos by heise
The maiden flight of Nova is planned for this year. According to the website, Nova is the last demonstrator. After that, the company will build aircraft for regular use. The Hytev commissioned by the Bundeswehr is expected to be completed next year.
Polaris' long-term goal is to take people into space with such an aircraft. This could happen in the 2030s.
(wpl)
