The Aurora supersonic spaceplane became a scout: Dawn Aerospace and Scout Space launched the Morning Sparrow into the sky

Aurora

Space is getting closer — and not just for astronauts. New Zealand startup Dawn Aerospace has taken an important step towards a new era of exploration: on July 17, its Aurora suborbital spaceplane took to the skies for the first time with a real reconnaissance complex on board. This is no longer just an engine test, it is the debut of a supersonic aircraft as a mobile suborbital spy.

On board was the Morning Sparrow sensor from Scout Space, a system designed to collect data in ultra—low Earth orbit. During the flight, which took place from a conventional runway at the Tavaki National Aerospace Center, the unmanned Aurora reached an altitude of 20,000 meters and a speed of Mach 1.03, which officially makes it a supersonic aircraft.

At the peak of the flight, the system was activated. The Morning Sparrow is not one camera, but two sensors: one with a narrow field of view for detail, the other with a wide one to cover a large area. The on-board computer combined their data into a stereoscopic panorama, as if the spaceplane "sees" the space around it three-dimensionally.

It is especially impressive that the sensor was installed a few minutes before launch, which demonstrates how easily and quickly the payload can be changed. And immediately after landing — in a matter of minutes — the data transmission began. This speed is critically important for exploration: when it is urgently necessary to track a new satellite, an unknown vehicle, or a threat in low orbit.

The Aurora, which is 4.8 m long and has a wingspan of 4 m, can take off and land like a conventional aircraft without requiring complex launch systems. After checking and refueling, it is ready for the next flight — perhaps in days, not months, like launch vehicles.

As Dawn Aerospace CEO Stefan Powell said:

"This is exactly what Aurora was created for — for fast, multiple access to near space. Where waiting for a launch for years is an unacceptable luxury."

Now space planes are no longer just a technological experiment. They are becoming an operational tool for monitoring outer space, complementing traditional satellites and radars. And if earlier exploration was a matter of orbiters, now a supersonic spaceplane can become its new face.