The German federal agency responsible for defense procurement and technology support awarded Polaris a contract to develop a two-stage hypersonic test system with horizontal take-off and fully reusable architecture. The program involves the manufacture and operation of a test platform for both defense applications and scientific research.
The vehicle, conceived as a test bed for hypersonic technologies, will allow validation of aerodynamic configurations, high-temperature materials and hybrid propulsion systems in extreme flight regimes. The program is planned to achieve operational flight capability by the end of 2027.
Technical context of the asset
The two-stage architecture integrates a reusable main stage equipped with turbofan engines for the initial flight phases and an aerospike rocket engine for the hypersonic regime, while the upper stage employs rocket propulsion only. This configuration allows horizontal takeoff operations and flexible mission profiles for testing in different speed and altitude envelopes.
From an engineering standpoint, the system poses challenges in propulsive integration, thermal management and stability control in transition from sub-hypersonic to hypersonic regimes. The reusability of the main vehicle also introduces stringent requirements for structural integrity, in-service inspection and predictive maintenance after each flight campaign.
Operational importance of the program
Having a reusable test platform significantly reduces costs per test campaign versus single-use systems, allowing for increased technology validation flight rates. For defense and scientific development programs, this translates into shorter maturation cycles for critical hypersonic flight technologies.
The repetitive operation approach facilitates the generation of experimental data under real flight conditions, a key input for the qualification of materials, thermal protection systems, and guidance and control algorithms in high-demand environments.
Geopolitical / regulatory context
The promotion of hypersonic test capabilities is part of a context of growing technological competition in the aerospace and defense fields. For Europe, the development of its own experimentation platforms reduces dependence on external infrastructures and strengthens technological autonomy in strategic domains associated with advanced mobility and new generation aerospace systems.
Market impact
The program positions the aerospace industry in the industry in the segment of reusable platforms for hypersonic test hypersonic testingThe program positions the European aerospace industry in the reusable hypersonic test platform segment, a niche with growth potential in both defense applications and applied research. Suppliers of high-temperature materials, hybrid propulsion systems, flight instrumentation and structural integrity solutions will be directly impacted by the demand associated with these developments.
Furthermore, the validation of reusable concepts in hypersonic environments may open up future opportunities in advanced transportation and testing services for third parties, expanding the industrial ecosystem around these technologies.
What’s next for Polaris?
The next stages of the program include detailed engineering, fabrication of the first prototypes and ground test campaigns to validate propulsive integration and structural behavior. Subsequently, progressive flight tests are planned to incrementally expand the hypersonic operating envelope, before declaring the platform suitable for regular experimentation campaigns.
Source: Aerospace Testing International
Photo: Artificial Intelligence