Propelling Hypersonic Innovation Forward

The Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) involved the government seeking proof of concept and prototype demonstration of modular Experimental Glide Body (EGB) testing hypersonic technologies/experimental payloads in operational trajectories using already available boosters.

The Challenge

The United States has an urgent need to rapidly prototype and test hypersonic technology in order to compete with adversaries. Hypersonic capabilities are crucial for maintaining technical dominance in defense, especially as the hypersonic race intensifies.

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The Solution

The program aims to design and test an experimental glide body to bolster various Department of Defense (DoD) initiatives related to hypersonic technology.

The solution and end state goal are to prototype a modular EGB that can accelerate technology and subsystem development and testing, design a modular software/hardware/interface test bed architecture, and leverage existing booster systems to enable the EGB to replicate operational or modified hypersonic trajectories.

On June 17, 2023, the MACH-TB program successfully launched its first suborbital testbed vehicle in a critical step forward toward advancing U.S. hypersonic technology. The inaugural launch took place on June 17 at 9:24 p.m. UTC from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 at Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.

“As the hypersonic race intensifies, there is an urgent need to quickly prototype and test this technology,” said S²MARTS Director Doug Crowe. “The MACH-TB launch announcement marks a pivotal stride forward in preserving America’s unrivaled technical dominance.” systems.

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MACH-TB 2.0

The MACH-TB 2.0 agreement is a project aimed at transitioning the precursor MACH-TB 1.0 test bed from design and concept demonstration to full-flight test capacity by FY25.

With a focus on modular open system architecture and multiple launch vehicle capabilities, MACH-TB 1.0 laid the groundwork for facilitating over 25 flight tests, culminating in the development of a hypersonic boost glide test bed equipped with an experimental modular glide vehicle.

Now, with MACH-TB 2.0 poised to elevate hypersonic flight testing to new levels of capacity and efficiency, the project promises to usher in a new era of innovation and collaboration in the realm of hypersonic systems.

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Michael Maxwell from SpinLaunch speaks on his experience as a small start-up company new to the OTA space.

SpinLaunch successfully networked and partnered with Dynetics, becoming a performer on the MACH-TB project through the S²MARTS OTA.

Hypersonics Stories

Our proven fail-fast model brings critical prototypes to market at the speed of mission.

Traditionally, new technologies must wait for full scale hypersonic weapon system demonstration flight tests to demonstrate an operational Technology Readiness Level (TRL). However, the very few currently planned weapon system flight tests are very expensive, complex, and require long term planning, all of which drive a very low risk tolerance for “new” technologies. This traditional approach is inhibiting the rapid testing and transitioning of hypersonic technology improvements needed to remain responsive to the threat.

The result is a growing backlog of capability improvements with very limited options to demonstrate technology or integration readiness. Exacerbating this problem is the fact ground testing capabilities can only provide limited ability to simulate flight transient environments on subscale components. The gap between Ground Test and Evaluation (T&E) and Weapon System Flight Tests and the growing backlog of capabilities form a hypersonic “valley of death” for new technologies. A new approach is needed.

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