In the fast-paced world of hypersonic technology, high costs and infrequent launches have been major roadblocks to innovation and development. Sandia has developed a game-changing, low-cost guided flight test platform to turbocharge experimentation and technology maturation.

The platform, called SkyFox, combines Sandia’s rich experience in hypersonics glide body development with state-of-the-art technology to accelerate evolution of boost glide vehicles. With a focus on scalability and modularity, the SkyFox suite of hypersonics glide bodies is designed to fit various booster sizes, ensuring flexibility in testing.

At the heart of SkyFox is Core — a system featuring commercial-off-the-shelf avionics, advanced controls and guidance software, all housed in a thermally and mechanically isolated package. This design allows for seamless control of the vehicle, regardless of its size or shape.

The SkyFox team has embraced advanced manufacturing techniques to produce low-cost, complex geometries at lightning speed, including metallic 3D printing for the aeroshell.

Initial flight tests will kick off with small rocket launches of the SkyFox hypersonic boost glide vehicle, complete with a parachute recovery system. This means researchers can reuse the same vehicle for multiple tests, drastically reducing costs and turnaround times. With SkyFox, Sandia is poised to “fail fast” and rapidly mature technologies to stay ahead of the ever-evolving hypersonic landscape.