Dawn Aerospace is proud to announce the success of DARTE — the Dawn Aerospace Radar Tracking Experiment. This was a joint mission involving NZDF | Defence Science & Technology (DST), the New Zealand Defence Force, the Royal New Zealand Navy, and Dawn Aerospace’s suborbital spaceplane, Aurora.

The trial evaluated the radar’s ability to detect and track a high-altitude, high-speed air vehicle under controlled conditions. By conducting the experiment domestically, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) gained real-world performance data without relying on overseas test ranges. In this mission, Aurora was flown in custom flight profiles from Tawhaki National Aerospace Centre, while HMNZS Te Kaha, a naval frigate, tracked the vehicle using its onboard radar systems.

DARTE highlights the value of emerging technologies research underway in New Zealand, at the intersection of industry, science and defence, representing the first operational step in using reusable rocket-powered aircraft architecture for repeatable high-performance trajectories. Future vehicles in the Aurora program are designed to reach speeds above Mach 3.5 and altitudes over 100 km.

Developing this capability domestically also contributes to New Zealand’s sovereign aerospace capability, allowing defence and research organisations to conduct advanced flight testing within New Zealand rather than relying solely on overseas infrastructure. Building this capability locally helps retain government investment within the New Zealand economy while strengthening national technological capacity and supporting collaboration with international partners and allied research programs.

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