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TL;DR
- Polaris Spaceplanes is preparing to fly two new 5-meter-long MIRA II and III prototypes this month, featuring a 30% larger wing area and improved design based on lessons learned from the crashed MIRA I
- The MIRA project aims to develop the world’s first reusable, single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane powered by an aerospike rocket engine, which maintains efficiency across varying altitudes and speeds
- The fiberglass MIRA II and III demonstrators will be equipped with four turbines and the AS-1 LOX/kerosene linear aerospike engine, with flight testing expected to begin in September 2024
- Polaris plans to develop the 8-meter-long supersonic NOVA prototype in 2025 as a precursor to the commercial Aurora spaceplane for cargo and passenger transport.
German aerospace startup Polaris Spaceplanes is preparing to fly two new prototypes of its MIRA supersonic/hypersonic aerospike spaceplane platform this month, after the world’s first flight test for an aerospike rocket engine ended in a crash earlier this year.
The MIRA II and III are identical 16.4 ft (5 m) airframes with 30% more wing area than their predecessor, the MIRA I. Polaris decided to build two identical vehicles to accelerate flight testing and have a backup aircraft. The design has been significantly improved based on lessons learned from the previous iteration.
Both demonstrators have fiberglass airframes, while the company plans to use Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) for its future supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. Each vehicle will be equipped with four conventional kerosene turbine engines and the AS-1 LOX (Liquid Oxygen)/kerosene linear aerospike rocket engine.
The MIRA I successfully completed several test flights using its turbine engines before being fitted with the aerospike engine. However, during the first attempted flight with the aerospike, the craft was destroyed on takeoff at over 100 mph (160 kph).
Aerospike engines are designed to maintain efficiency across a wide range of altitudes by using the ambient airflow around the rocket to form a virtual nozzle. This allows the engine to naturally adapt to changing speed and altitude conditions.
The MIRA project aims to develop a fully reusable, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) spaceplane capable of carrying cargo or passengers, taking off and landing on conventional runways.
Earlier test flights were conducted at the Peenemünde Airfield in northern Germany and over the Baltic Sea. Polaris has announced that it expects to have the MIRA II and III airborne within September.
Looking ahead, the company is planning to test NOVA, a 26.2 ft (8 m) supersonic prototype, next year in 2025, with the intention of developing it into a commercial product.
News Source: newatlas
