Dawn Mk-II Aurora
Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2023 9:41 am
https://www.dawnaerospace.com/spacelaunch
The Mk-II Aurora is our first entry into the suborbital frontier and the first-stage demonstrator for our two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The commercial version of this remotely-piloted, reusable rocket plane is designed to fly multiple times a day from a runway. The Mk-II will take off horizontally, fly a parabolic trajectory at Mach 3+, and glide back to a horizontal landing at the originating site or downrange. The vehicle’s 3U volume can contain and expose payloads in the upper atmosphere. It is a flexible platform with various mission possibilities, including aeronomy, earth observation, education, in-space science, space weather, and technology development. The Mk-II is the first in a series of vehicles that will merge the world of rockets and aviation to access space in a new way.
The Mk-II Aurora is our first entry into the suborbital frontier and the first-stage demonstrator for our two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The commercial version of this remotely-piloted, reusable rocket plane is designed to fly multiple times a day from a runway. The Mk-II will take off horizontally, fly a parabolic trajectory at Mach 3+, and glide back to a horizontal landing at the originating site or downrange. The vehicle’s 3U volume can contain and expose payloads in the upper atmosphere. It is a flexible platform with various mission possibilities, including aeronomy, earth observation, education, in-space science, space weather, and technology development. The Mk-II is the first in a series of vehicles that will merge the world of rockets and aviation to access space in a new way.