Building on the successes of STAAR Research, the development of a waverider for incorporation into the ASPIRE Rocket programme is well advanced. Over 120 succesful test flights of the first sub scale demonstrator have been conducted, both unpowered and under rocket power. These have demonstrated the stability aspects of waveriders at subsonic speeds.
For more details on waveriders, the STAAR Research Introduction to waveriders is worth looking at.
The AspireSpace waveriders (both flight test hardware and designs) are as follows:
As part of the collaboration between AspireSpace and STAAR Research, the Mk-12 and Mk-13 waveriders are STAAR Research test vehicles.
The current vehicle demonstrators, the Mk-11 subscale test vehicles are due to be fitted with hybrid motors for high speed tests over the next 2 years. Work has also recently started on the Mk-15 subscale test vehicle, which will also eventually be fitted with hybrid propulsion. A small subscale Mk-14 flight demonstrator is shortly due to make its first flight tests. These vehicles represent a considerable advance over the earlier vehicles in that they depart from the caret wing design, and use viscous drag optimised designs.
The eventual aim of the waverider programme is to attempt to fly an SSTO mission using a liquid engined or hybrid waverider. This will be a small 1-2 man vehicle, with no payload apart from the crew.
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