Aurora Mk-II Cleared for Supersonic Flights at 80,000 Feet—Could It Surpass SR-71 Blackbird's Record?

Brush Stroke By: Sunita Somvanshi AURORA MK-11

[{"selector":"#anim-0b11460a-fcdb-442a-9b48-0761f00dbe97","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-886ce841-059d-49cb-9be6-5af8bb517424","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(105deg) translate3d(0px, 134.36168%, 0) rotate(-105deg)","rotate(105deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-105deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45fb4c90-177b-44ab-994e-4d27d2c39bb2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1798031-d00b-4518-9f2b-fc2d8fc07d3d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9edafeae-3ed5-4557-b65b-0ae0fbc11d8b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e17e3c16-f159-4f66-ba0a-5681dde1eaad","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.14369%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff567325-23a0-4711-b4df-f7ed2ad8c194","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5f2654a-a1b4-468d-a834-8bb5b099d45e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Brush Stroke Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora spaceplane aims to revolutionize air transport with speeds exceeding Mach 3. Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace

[{"selector":"#anim-98ae0d1f-ab19-4c87-b799-3301428385be","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1eab003d-3e98-4ff6-804b-7787322606b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc6a045b-266b-4b4f-abf6-0a67f6b23fb1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(98.80383%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32afaeaf-7933-472e-b638-e83e71eb5df6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f640a316-4f5b-4326-8fc3-59d22bd2c778","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.43409%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8524bd45-b831-4886-bc7f-7da42fd7e4ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke New Zealand's CAA grants Dawn Aerospace unlimited speed and altitude clearance for the Aurora Mk-II - what does this mean for supersonic flight? Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-c613d820-a685-41cf-bfcc-3903cb243c24","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-170111e5-9bfb-4bbb-8e38-4bc6c7a44a23","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-106deg) translate3d(-60.90651%, 0px, 0) rotate(106deg)","rotate(-106deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(106deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1db0b640-15ea-4c7a-bf8a-87753833f17f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2878f5d3-f2f6-4e0a-a12b-45f730f50374","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d51a3583-2d92-459f-902f-83e1f4e85627","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d8f0646-d4d5-4ed0-9d19-ecba4ad21b1d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -161.52929%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-591a922a-be98-486c-a4fe-2e28d486fed4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke From 300 km/h to breaking the sound barrier: How the Aurora Mk-II evolved since its first test flight in 2021. Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace

[{"selector":"#anim-d6dad462-fea1-4998-acef-edcde1247eec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a57a36d-1a56-461e-a7a0-33856d5b0dc5","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(105deg) translate3d(0px, 134.36168%, 0) rotate(-105deg)","rotate(105deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-105deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-477632fa-cc4e-40ac-9796-0284dbf30f01","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.14369%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-389e2f44-35ac-4143-825c-f8e4aefa5f30","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1bb8ad66-cdb6-4642-8f8a-7134d26d9490","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05430c5a-5b31-4ea9-9831-ab7aeafcc66d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-deba9761-3215-4201-adf8-246551a82c4c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74c3e9cb-34cf-405c-84d2-47b1de784e47","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke CEO Stefan Powell claims the Aurora Mk-II could be the first privately-funded drone to surpass Mach 1. Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace

[{"selector":"#anim-a222f027-b742-48e0-87ee-011ad1b2037c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c86077fb-dc60-4f53-a56b-60fd4b7d875b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb95ec14-388d-4e14-86a5-5eac854fe900","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.43409%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79a8f02b-766b-478b-8499-2398e731a036","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e69ba5ff-7e75-46fb-829d-a77ffb7fa5f4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.04307%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ed59860-ba93-40cd-bb87-0df153bb5524","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke Aurora Mk-II's ambitious goal: Flying higher than the SR-71 Blackbird at 100 km altitude. Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace

[{"selector":"#anim-79357f7b-5555-4d1b-a1fc-140764baa4a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-818db0d2-5e92-4f29-b6ce-8071dee603b7","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-106deg) translate3d(-60.90651%, 0px, 0) rotate(106deg)","rotate(-106deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(106deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2b65f92-935c-496b-870b-2cae7e02afae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f087d7f-4a4e-4942-b575-af2a76589d67","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a3998c9-062c-4486-9b01-8d7c8ac09f5a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-188eda8a-b4a3-428c-95d5-bf8d3eb3a752","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -149.3295%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4bf8689-6ad8-4a19-82ae-feaf8e855f41","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke Dawn Aerospace plans to demonstrate two flights per day with the Aurora Mk-II - can this make space travel more accessible? Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-6be8526d-9f43-4c2f-b3af-9d71fe09f1da","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6be8bd59-95cd-4502-8814-0ca9d7d0aea3","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(105deg) translate3d(0px, 134.36168%, 0) rotate(-105deg)","rotate(105deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(-105deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fed7bffe-b5c5-4eea-b111-ec25d801da3a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.14369%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1f53bd60-e36b-4667-b195-29f7336759ce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69a9ef4a-ee9c-4dd1-b51d-c197d52ab86b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3d6d0b1-1f22-4219-a509-dc321d4a72ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f6c25f8-92a9-443f-8b0b-84547f3ded80","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b963a301-dda7-49e6-b676-fb949d7dcd14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke The race for supersonic flight heats up: How does Aurora Mk-II compare to Hermeus's Quarterhorse Mk 1 and Boom Overture? Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-bde0c71d-57bd-4f85-8cc2-06121ce496f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83d4cc6f-58bb-47ce-9080-d1f3c92893e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77a72f8b-5548-4beb-bfec-add684c27a7c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.43409%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff521f6e-b96a-45f9-b990-97828968c1f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26f7e2d4-c2b6-46e5-ba71-d220d923d141","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.04307%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b375b8e4-1e94-4873-8080-3092445562ee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke Aurora Mk-II's unique propulsion: A peek into its hydrogen peroxide and kerosene rocket engine. Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace

[{"selector":"#anim-f8c53305-984c-4e9f-befa-5c317a17599d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-503f7828-3b79-426c-a119-1761a3d93296","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-106deg) translate3d(-60.90651%, 0px, 0) rotate(106deg)","rotate(-106deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(106deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-befb28f8-c0cc-4037-8c83-a67a44f4e964","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88c72e87-4970-4ce5-a98f-92ef081daa16","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66ea6fd9-bd58-4a0e-9858-b62762d169b2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d52d0a8d-d214-46a8-9db8-f20660e11642","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -161.52929%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-020ece5d-94c8-4462-8cf0-0793ce333613","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Brush Stroke From microgravity research to Earth observation: The diverse applications of Dawn Aerospace's reusable spaceplane. Photo Source- Dawn Aerospace

[{"selector":"#anim-ed055bfc-3e26-464d-bd08-85a58ad26638","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.19019%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fdb4c40a-ec87-416e-9964-08ae1e79b5d8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f3782b9-b4f1-4934-a575-a1ae01d9ef5d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-295b38e4-b440-44ed-8a26-8b44416a3f89","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-16877916-a2c1-413c-a3ad-e99c027615bf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.38226%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-daf91912-0d6e-40a0-a244-9c46b2600520","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-199baf42-4075-4dd8-b076-b7b5762c45cf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Dream Chaser Prepares for ISS Mission with 7,800 Pounds of Cargo and a Historic Landing at Kennedy Space Center Learn more

Aurora Mk-II Cleared for Supersonic Flights at 80,000 Feet—Could It Surpass SR-71 Blackbird's Record?

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