Title: "Hypersonic Persistent Configuration (HyPer) Development"

Sponsor: Air Force Research Laboratory

Context: “The Air Force has recently developed an idea for a vehicle capable of both traveling at hypersonic speeds and loitering for an extended period of time. Such a vehicle would be able to loiter outside of a threat area and then dash in at hypersonic speeds to strike high-value, time sensitive targets. This idea could evolve into a vehicle designed to cruise hypersonically to a theater and then loiter to provide a show of force at the onset of a conflict.”

Task: “Define a vehicle concept capable of satisfying the primary mission identified above (and detailed below). The vehicle will incorporate current-day technologies as well as technologies that are anticipated to be available in 10-15 years. As part of the design process, mission requirements will be evaluated, the impacts of existing/anticipated technologies will be assessed, and areas where technology infusion is required will be identified. A comparison of unmanned versus manned approaches, as well as a preliminary cost analysis, will be performed."