Latest news with #StefanPowell
RNZ News
13-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
NZ-Dutch company Dawn Aerospace sells its first spaceplane
From left: Dr. George Nield (Chairman, Global Spaceport Alliance), Jim Bridenstine (Managing Partner of the Artemis Group and Former NASA Administrator), Stefan Powell (CEO, Dawn Aerospace), and Khaki Rodway (Spaceplane Sales & Operations Director, USA, Dawn Aerospace) Photo: Supplied/Dawn Aerospace New Zealand-Dutch company Dawn Aerospace has reached a major milestone by selling its first spaceplane. The company has signed a US$17 million ($28m NZD) agreement to supply its Mk-II Aurora rocket-powered aircraft to the US state of Oklahoma. Under the deal, Dawn would provide the vehicle and everything needed to operate it, like ground support equipment, licensing, creating a support team, and parts and servicing. The aircraft would be based at the Oklahoma Air and Space Port, with delivery scheduled for 2027 and manufacturing to take place in Christchurch. Dawn chief executive Stefan Powell said it was "huge" for the company and the industry. "This is really the first time anyone has been able to buy a spacefaring capability," he said. "Normally you can buy a service, someone will take your thing to space or suborbital." Powell said it marked a significant moment for the global space industry. "It's really about transitioning the industry away from a single-use service, to more like an airline model, which we believe is far more scalable," Powell said. The Aurora is a remote-piloted aircraft and can carry small payloads of up to 5kg to altitudes of 100 kilometres (330,000 feet), and has a turnaround time of four hours. Dawn Mk-II Aurora in flight at 82,500 feet Photo: Supplied/Dawn Aerospace Dawn said it would be the first aircraft to reach the Karman line - the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space - twice in one day. The company has been in the process of testing and developing the aircraft, which can take off from a runway. In 2024, the Mk-II Aurora broke the sound barrier, reaching Mach 1.12 at 82,500 ft (25,146m), and setting a record for the fastest climb to 20 kilometres (65,600 ft). Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
National Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Dawn Aerospace Begins Taking Orders for Aurora Spaceplane: A Breakthrough Rocket-Powered Aircraft
Article content Article content ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Dawn Aerospace today announced that its Aurora spaceplane is now available for purchase, with first deliveries expected in 2027. This marks a historic milestone: the first time a space-capable vehicle – designed to fly beyond the Kármán line (100 km – 328,000 ft) – has been offered for direct sale to customers. Article content Aurora is set to become the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever to take off from a conventional runway, blending the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability and operational simplicity of traditional aviation. This breakthrough enables high-frequency, low-cost access to both high-altitudes and space. Article content Aurora introduces a business model akin to commercial airlines, where operators can purchase aircraft and deliver services independently of the manufacturer. Dawn's suborbital spaceplane is engineered for high-frequency operations from traditional airports and spaceports worldwide. Capable of horizontal takeoff and landing, rapid refueling, and multiple flights per day, Aurora offers aircraft-like simplicity, cost-efficiency, and flexibility – enabling local operators to access high-altitudes and space from local runways on demand. Article content 'For the first time, customers have the opportunity to own an aircraft capable of reaching the edge of space,' said Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn Aerospace. 'Aurora is a game-changing platform for governments, spaceports, and new spaceplane operators to access extreme altitudes and deliver vital services and programs. It's been over a century since commercial airlines began—now it's time to launch the first spaceline.' Article content Aurora enables a new class of missions across defense, signals intelligence, surveillance, hypersonics, maritime patrol, and atmospheric research. It provides microgravity access for the semiconductor and life sciences industries, making it a powerful platform for advancing scientific discovery and national security. Article content LIFE SCIENCES: Investigate cellular biology, regenerative medicine, and space health in microgravity conditions. SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY: Test next-gen chips and materials under near-space radiation and thermal extremes. DEFENSE APPLICATIONS: Validate communications and sensing payloads in high-altitude environments. Article content In November 2024, on the 57th flight of Aurora, it reached supersonic speeds, Mach 1.12, and climbed to 82,500 feet / 25.1 km. In doing so, Aurora set a record for the fastest climb from runway to above 20km, breaking a nearly 50-year-old record previously held by the modified F-15 Streak Eagle. Article content AURORA SPACEPLANE – KEY SPECIFICATIONS Article content Dawn Aerospace is now coordinating inaugural deliveries of Aurora with early adopters across research, commercial, and government sectors. Article content Dawn Aerospace is developing the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever to take off from a runway, combining the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability of conventional airplanes to enable high-frequency, low-cost access to high-altitudes and space. Article content Dawn's remotely piloted aircraft are certified under New Zealand's CAA Part 102 and the New Zealand Space Agency's High-Altitude License, allowing flight from the ground to beyond 60,000 feet—well above conventional airspace limits. Article content Dawn's founders recognized the potential of applying aviation-style operations to spaceflight —delivering routine, runway-based access to space with rocket-powered aircraft. In addition to its spaceplane program, Dawn Aerospace is a leading provider of propulsion systems for satellite developers, with its technology currently on 25 operational satellites. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
