Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora has completed five flights with its suborbital spaceplane, something which is an achievement for the new form of transportation to space. The airplane-designed spacecraft has presented a novel take on spaceflight, apart from the rockets that are fitted with massive engines.
The venture somehow resembles that of the Virgin Galactic, where they use airplanes to fly their rockets to suborbital heights, before having it launched at their backs.
Dawn Aerospace: Mk-II Aurora Suborbital Spaceplane
As revealed by Dawn Aerospace's blog post, the Mk-II Aurora suborbital spaceplane has made five successful test flights, under its R&D wing to analyze the capabilities of the vehicle. This is a different venture and takes for space travel, as it does not focus on the use of rocket technology for its ventures.
What it does use is the propeller of a jetplane, giving it the right energy it needs for its flight to the heights that other airplanes would not dare to go to. The spacecraft is designed for its daily use, something which would boost space tourism under suborbital regulations, something that can go with passengers without any certifications of space flight.
The Mk-II Aurora is capable to deliver satellites to orbit, and would soon be something to be used commercially, hence the many trials it did. This is a massive achievement for Dawn Aerospace, which are trying to make their brand and name known in the space industry.
Suborbital vs. Orbital?
There is a massive connotation on Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora, and it says suborbital spaceplane. In modern spacecraft, they have these said labels that categorize them. According to Space, suborbital is said to be those that go into much slower speeds, compared to orbital spacecraft.
Orbital spacecraft have a certain speed to propel themselves and reach "orbit velocity" making them the faster and more powerful one over the two. However, people need to be well-adept to join orbital spaceflights, as it is strenuous to the body.
On the other hand, suborbital spaceflights are those that go at certain speeds, making it the most civilian-friendly option between the two, but can still go to orbit. However, it is not adept for deep space travels and other ventures farther than the low-Earth orbit (LEO) parameters.
Can Dawn's Aurora be Used for Future Space Tourism Flights?
It seems so that Dawn Aerospace's Aurora spacecraft is meant for space tourism flights, particularly as it focuses on suborbital flights that go on slower speeds to accommodate civilians. No ventures for space tourism were already announced by Dawn Aerospace, but it may be something to come in the future.
Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX are the names that Dawn would go up against, to space tourism in the coming years.
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Written by Isaiah Richard
