Hermeus pairs Quarterhorse with Ramjet-X for sustained high Mach testing
Hermeus is shaking up flight testing by pairing its Quarterhorse supersonic plane with the Ramjet-X vehicle.
Together, they'll let clients run high-speed tests: Quarterhorse boosts Ramjet-X to Mach 1.5 so its engine can kick in and accelerate to high-Mach velocity.
This means commercial and government clients can test sensors, communications systems, high-temperature materials, autonomy software, and propulsion technologies under sustained high-Mach conditions without building pricey custom vehicles.
Hermeus's Ramjet-X offers flight test service
Ramjet-X brings something new called "Flight Test as a Service," making it easier for companies and government teams to test sensors, materials, software, and propulsion technologies at super-fast speeds.
Engine testing is happening in Jacksonville, Florida, and development of its high-temperature structures is taking place in El Segundo, California, with flight testing slated for 2027.
Hermeus CEO Zach Shore says this approach will speed up innovation while keeping costs down: "High-speed flight testing is extremely expensive, and you don't get many shots at it," said Zach Shore, CEO of Hermeus. "Ramjet-X gives us a way to put new systems into sustained high-Mach environments without building an expensive one-off test program every time. Bringing speed, sustained flight, and scalability all into one system lowers the barriers to gathering extremely valuable data from these conditions and accelerates programs for both us and our customers."