MDA, Partners Hold First Experimental Hypersonic Test Bed Flight

The Missile Defense Agency, in collaboration with its partners, announced that it has completed the inaugural flight of the Hypersonic Test Bed. 

⁤In the HTB-1 test, the vehicle launched into hypersonic flight, enabling the collection of data from various internal and external experiments in hypersonic environments, the MDA said.

During the test, the MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor was also able to gather critical flight data post-launch, which initial reports said had been productive. ⁤⁤Further analysis of the data is planned over the coming weeks.

⁤Designed as a unified platform for hypersonic experimentation, the HTB is expected to augment the U.S. testing capacity and accelerate technological development for the military. ⁤

⁤MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, a 2024 Wash100 awardee and a past Potomac Officers Club event speaker, described the test as a “huge success,” noting its role in establishing a cost-effective platform for future hypersonic experiments and in advancing hypersonic testing capabilities. ⁤

The agency also continues to collaborate with its partners to use shared data in improving hypersonic defense capabilities. ⁤