We are excited to announce our newest prototype – Eiger – named after one of the Swiss peaks!
This is the second in a series of development vehicles that we are building and flying at Destinus. With its paint work inspired by the alps, this truck-sized aircraft has its shape based on a hypersonic design with a high internal volume for accommodating hydrogen in the future, similar to that of our first prototype Jungfrau. It is a test-bed for developing tools, structures, processes, and autonomy. The prototype design began in late 2021 and manufacturing took a little over 6 months. We’re proud of the team and excited to announce another milestone!
One of the most challenging tasks for a versatile hydrogen-powered hypersonic aircraft is the aeroshape and flight dynamics. Optimization for flight at speeds greater than Mach 10 requires a special design. In doing so, the internal volume must be sufficient to accommodate the necessary supply of liquid hydrogen, which has a density 14 times less than water. This dictates the blended body waverider shape. But such an aeroshape is extremely difficult to control at low speeds. Understanding the science of flying such a vehicle is the first step toward mastering hypersonic speeds.
