NASA Develops Hypersonic Vehicles Using Atmospheric Oxygen

NASA is pushing the boundaries of hypersonic speed technology with the goal of developing reusable vehicles that can cruise at March 6 and serve as access points to space. These vehicles will utilize air-breathing engines, which draw oxygen from the atmosphere, making global flights more efficient and routine.

"In the next decade, NASA aims to develop enabling technologies for a reusable air-breathing first-generation vehicle capable of hypersonic cruise flights," stated a NASA spokesperson. This initiative is designed to support emerging markets in high-speed flight.

Looking ahead to 2050, NASA envisions a next-generation reusable hypersonic vehicle that could function as the first stage of a two-stage space access system. To achieve these objectives, NASA is leveraging its specialized facilities, laboratories, and expertise to address the challenges of hypersonic flight.

The Hypersonic Technology Project collaborates with industry partners, academic institutions, and other government agencies to utilize relevant datasets and validate computational models. These partnerships are essential for advancing hypersonic flight technology.

In a related endeavor, NASA continues to advance life support systems in space. Recent achievements, including those made in collaboration with Blue Origin for the Orbital Reef space station, demonstrate progress in regenerative systems for recycling and recovering water and oxygen. These systems are crucial for sustaining human life in microgravity environments, reducing dependence on Earth-launched supplies.

Angela Hart, manager, NASA's Low Earth Orbit Commercial Development Program, highlighted the importance of these advancements in ensuring the sustainability of commercial destinations that support human life in space. These developments enable NASA astronauts to conduct ongoing scientific research in the unique microgravity environment of space.