Dawn Aerospace and the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA) have signed a binding partnership to bring an Mk-II Aurora spaceplane to Oklahoma. As part of the agreement, Dawn will deliver and operate Aurora at the Oklahoma Air and Space Port. The Aurora is scheduled for delivery in 2027, with flights to space commencing that same year.
"Our mission is to push the boundaries of aviation all the way to space, and Oklahoma is a perfect place in the United States to make that happen," said Stefan Powell, CEO, and founder of Dawn Aerospace. "By developing a rapidly reusable aircraft, we're bringing the efficiency of aviation to spaceflight—dramatically increasing flight frequency, cutting costs, and accelerating breakthroughs in science and space research that deliver critical insights and services for a better future."
A rocket-powered, remote-piloted aircraft, the Aurora is designed to carry payloads of up to 11 lbs (5 kg) to altitudes of 330,000 feet (100 km). With a rapid turnaround time of just four hours, it would be the first aircraft to reach above the Karman line twice in one day. This cutting-edge capability at the Oklahoma Spaceport builds on OSIDA's decades-long commitment to aerospace innovation and economic growth since its founding in 1999. With this new era of spaceflight, the spaceport is set to become one of America's busiest suborbital launch sites, solidifying its role as a hub for microgravity research, atmospheric studies, and satellite technology testing.
"The next industrial revolution is happening in space, and the scientific research and commercialization opportunities that exist in microgravity are transformational. Operating Dawn's Aurora spaceplane at the Oklahoma Air and Space Port will both reduce costs and increase access to microgravity throughout the space industry. This important partnership positions the state of Oklahoma at the center of American space innovation", said Jim Bridenstine, managing partner of the Artemis Group and former NASA administrator (2018-2021).
"Oklahoma is positioned to be at the forefront of the next space frontier and a hub for national defense," said Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell. "With targeted investment, the state is moving to secure frequent and reliable space access and is set to become America's busiest suborbital launch site. Launching from Burns Flat will unlock a new class of microgravity research, national security applications, and commercial innovation."
Microgravity research is critical because it allows scientists to study physical and biological processes in ways that are impossible on Earth. In a weightless environment, fundamental forces like convection and gravity-driven fluid motion disappear, providing new insights into material science and biomedical research. Frequent and low-cost access to microgravity will significantly accelerate discoveries, with potential breakthroughs in areas such as cancer and liver disease drug development, and advanced materials research.
Under the terms of the agreement, Dawn will supply the aircraft, ground control station, and an operations team. Flights on Aurora are expected to cost, on average, low hundreds of thousands of dollars per flight. Campaigns of multiple flights will redefine the landscape of space launch and enable researchers to conduct experiments in rapid succession, accelerating scientific progress while keeping costs low. Oklahoma colleges and universities will have free access to the aircraft for research purposes for the first year of operations.
Reaching an altitude of 82,500 ft and achieving Mach 1.12, Aurora set a new benchmark for the fastest 'time to altitude' for an aircraft, surpassing a record held by the modified F-15 Streak Eagle set in 1975. The Aurora's development will continue through 2027, with manufacturing and flight testing conducted at Dawn's R&D facilities in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Click here to know more about Dawn Aerospace's Mk-II Aurora Spaceplane
