A mass salvo of hypersonic kinetic darts climbing through the sky
Kinetic Defense · Reusable · High-Cadence

Test more. Fly farther. Launch faster.

One reusable, high-cadence kinetic launch architecture across the defense mission: hypersonic testing, suborbital defense flight, long-range reach, targets, flight articles, counter-UAS, and future interceptor applications.

The platform

One architecture. Many defense missions.

The same reusable, ground-based kinetic launch system extends range and reach at hypersonic speeds, from land, sea, or mobile deployment. Testing and targets are the nearest-term, highest-value missions, with interceptors as a future application.

General Hypersonics mission architecture: ram accelerator extending range from 60km today to 500km-plus HyperBoost and 1000km-plus boost-glide and intercept, with suborbital and flight-article applications

Hypersonic Testing

Real-flight Mach 5+ conditions for materials, sensors, and seekers.

Suborbital Defense Flight

High-cadence access to suborbital trajectories for targets and validation.

Long-Range Reach

Extend range and time to target for defense payloads.

Targets

Threat-representative targets for munitions defense test and evaluation.

Flight articles

Kinetic launch for projectiles and mission articles.

Counter-UAS

Magazine depth and lower-cost engagement of large numbers of threats.


The problem

The defense cost curve is upside down.

Modern defense faces a growing cost and capacity problem. Adversaries can field increasing numbers of munitions, drones, and hypersonic threats, while traditional test, target, and interceptor systems stay expensive and capacity constrained. Reusable kinetic launch reduces recurring mission cost, increases flight-test cadence, and expands available shot capacity across targets, testing, counter-UAS, and future interceptor applications.

Mark Russell at the General Hypersonics HyperLab ram accelerator test facility
Test and evaluation

Hypersonic testing, on cadence.

One of our strongest markets today. General Hypersonics supports real-flight Mach 5+ testing of materials, sensors, seekers, electronics, avionics, guidance systems, targets, threat surrogates, and high-G survivability articles, at a cadence traditional ranges cannot match.


The capability

Kinetic. Reusable. Reloadable.

The launcher stays on the ground, reloads, and fires again in minutes, supporting the test cadence and shot capacity modern defense demands.

Rocketless kinetic launch

A reusable, ground-based system accelerates payloads to high speed without first-stage rocket propulsion. The same architecture supports hypersonic testing, targets, and future kinetic interceptor applications.

Land, sea, mobile

One scalable launch architecture, configured for fixed, sea-based, or mobile deployment. Put launch capability where the mission requires it.

High-cadence reload

The ground-based launcher stays in place, cools, refuels, and prepares for the next mission in minutes.

Traction

Years of government engagement, proven in the field.

A record of competitive awards, government contracts, and demonstrated field performance.

$151B
MDA SHIELD IDIQ pool · prime seat
Mach 5+
Demonstrated in the field
2019–2026
NASA, NSIN Navy Crane, and DoD programs

Competitive awards

NSIN Navy Crane Low-Cost Hypersonics Challenge, 2024. NASA-related vertical launch demonstration at Spaceport America, 2019.

Prime and programs

Selected prime on MDA's $151B SHIELD IDIQ, and a subcontractor on other prime awards. DoD hypersonic testing contracts and demonstrations, 2025 to 2026.

Ram accelerator records

In-tube sabot and Space Dart separation, the heaviest payload launched in a ram accelerator, and a customer materials campaign of three flight tests in one day at Mach 5+.

Directed by defense veterans, including Lt. Gen. Stephen Kwast (USAF, Ret.) and Jack Roosa (former Program Director, Raytheon Missiles and Defense). A space company with a duty to defend.

A hypersonic vehicle streaking above the Earth
The Hyper Age

Test more. Fly farther. Launch faster. Repeat.

Reusable kinetic launch for the defense mission. Ready now.

Get in touch
Targets and testing for next-generation munitions defense Illustrative
Munitions Defense

Built for the Golden Dome mission.

The nearest-term opportunity is providing the targets and flight-test capability needed to develop and validate the system. The Missile Defense Agency needs threat-representative targets to test sensors, tracking, and command and control. GH is positioned to provide high-cadence targets, test flights, and future kinetic interceptor applications.