Dawn Aerospace has begun accepting orders for its Aurora spaceplane, with deliveries expected in 2027. This reusable vehicle is designed for suborbital flights, offering a new model for accessing space.
The Aurora spaceplane combines rocket propulsion with aircraft reusability, enabling multiple daily flights from standard runways. It can reach altitudes up to 100 km and speeds of Mach 3.5, carrying payloads up to 10 kg and providing up to three minutes of microgravity for research, defense, and commercial sectors.
Recent milestones include successful test flights, with the Mark 2 Aurora reaching Mach 1.12 and an altitude of 25.1 kilometers in November 2024. These tests have paved the way for commercial availability, positioning Aurora as a versatile platform for various applications.
The company is also flying research payloads from Arizona State University, California Polytechnic State University, and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in April and June 2025. These missions will take place from the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, New Zealand.
Dawn Aerospace aims to revolutionize space access by offering a commercially viable spaceplane that can operate from traditional airports and spaceports worldwide. The Aurora spaceplane is now available for purchase, marking a shift towards more accessible and frequent suborbital flights.