POLARIS Spaceplanes

POLARIS Spaceplanes
Description: POLARIS Raumflugzeuge GmbH is a German aerospace startup specializing in the development of reusable space launch and hypersonic transport systems. The company's flagship project, the Aurora spaceplane, integrates aircraft and rocket launcher technologies to provide cost-effective and routine access to space.
Vision:
To lead the aerospace industry in reusable launch systems, enabling sustainable and efficient space exploration and transportation.
Mission:
To revolutionize space transportation by developing reusable spaceplanes that offer low-cost, safe, and routine access to space.
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Total Funding: €7.1 million
Key Milestones:
  • 2019: Company founded in Bremen, Germany.
  • 2021: Awarded a research contract by the German Bundeswehr to study spaceplanes for reconnaissance and hypersonic applications.: Received a research contract from the German Bundeswehr to investigate spaceplanes for reconnaissance missions and the use of aerospike engines .
  • 2022: Received a contract from the Bundeswehr to build and flight-test a scaled demonstrator of the Aurora spaceplane.
  • 2023: Initiated ground testing of the first LOX/kerosene linear aerospike engine.Completed a 15-flight test campaign of the MIRA-Light prototype, accumulating approximately 40 minutes of flight time .Conducted the first roll tests of the MIRA I demonstrator under turbine engine power .
  • 2024 : Conducted the first successful in-flight ignition of a linear aerospike rocket engine using the MIRA-II demonstrator.
  • 2024: Began flight tests of the MIRA II demonstrator, preparing for the vehicle’s first rocket-powered flight .
  • 2025: Awarded a contract by the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment (BAAINBw) for the development of a reusable hypersonic spaceplane for defense applications
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Products & Services:
  • Aurora Spaceplane: A 28-meter-long multipurpose spaceplane under development, designed to carry payloads up to 1,000 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and several tons on suborbital flights. Aurora aims to reach speeds up to Mach 10 and is intended for both commercial and defense applications .
  • MIRA Demonstrators:: MIRA-Light: A 2.5-meter subscale prototype used to test flight control systems and aerodynamics.MIRA I: A 4.3-meter demonstrator featuring a fiber-reinforced shell and equipped with an aerospike rocket engine. The first flight ended in a crash before engine ignition .MIRA II and III: Identical 5-meter-long prototypes powered by the AS-1 aerospike engines and jet turbines, representing a step towards standardization and future serial production .
  • Aerospike Engines: AS-1: A linear aerospike rocket engine developed for integration into the MIRA demonstrators and the Aurora spaceplane.AS-1B: A heavier version designed primarily for ground tests, capable of producing up to 1 kN of thrust.AS-1F: A flight-capable version tested on the MIRA demonstrators, with successful ignition tests conducted .​
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