Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) and Utah State University (USU) have partnered to develop a more accessible hypersonic testing capability designed to accelerate technology development, expand access to key testing, and foster experimentation, innovation, and workforce development.
High-enthalpy hypersonic testing recreates the extreme high speeds, heat, and energy levels that occur in real hypersonic flight. Access to high-enthalpy hypersonic testing is often constrained by cost, facility availability, and long scheduling timelines, leaving many early-stage technologies struggling to reach validation.
A New Approach
ARA and USU transformed USU’s non-volatile hybrid rocket technology into a throttleable gas generator capable of producing flight-representative high-enthalpy hypersonic environments. The method exposes hypersonic system components to the intense conditions experienced during hypersonic flight, enabling rapid testing at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.
The new method is intended to complement – not replace – traditional testing like arc jets, wind tunnels, and flight testing by providing an intermediate validation step that allows researchers to refine designs before advancing to higher-cost test environments.
Unlike conventional systems that rely on energetic propellants and complex support infrastructure, the ARA-USU capability uses inert 3D-printed plastic fuel and commercially available gaseous oxidizers. This approach avoids many of the hazards associated with energetic propellants, cryogenic fluids, and hypergolic liquids, reducing storage, handling, and facility challenges while improving operational flexibility.
“This is a safer, simpler, lower-cost architecture that can broaden access to hypersonic testing for universities, startups, and small businesses that may otherwise face barriers to entry,” said Dave Granica, the ARA principal engineer leading the effort. “This effort has the potential to create new partnership opportunities and broaden the innovation ecosystem for future hypersonic system development.”
High-Cadence, Scalable Testing
The team has successfully conducted multiple test runs per day, evaluating sensors and ablative materials at conditions exceeding Mach 8 for durations of tens of seconds. In addition to supporting hardware development, the capability generates real-world data that can be used to improve modeling and simulation tools, help researchers better understand system performance, and increase confidence in analytical predictions.
The platform is also designed to scale as testing needs evolve. The current USU facility is optimized for testing material properties and individual components up to about one foot in length at roughly Mach 10 conditions. Researchers expect future scaling efforts to support larger test articles and Mach 20 environments for extended durations, providing a pathway toward medium-class hypersonic vehicle evaluation.
New Partnerships, New Possibilities
ARA’s partnership with USU integrates hands‑on education with mission‑relevant research. In addition to providing valuable testing capabilities, the partnership also serves as a workforce-development pipeline. Through ARA-sponsored capstone projects and collaborative independent research and development efforts, USU students and faculty participate in instrumentation upgrades, fabrication, and live test campaigns. Students gain hands-on experience with hypersonic systems, testing operations, and data collection, while ARA benefits from rapid innovation and access to emerging talent.
“Our partnership with Utah State University integrates hands‑on education with mission‑relevant research,” Granica said. “Together, ARA and USU are creating a scalable testing platform that lowers barriers to entry, accelerates technology maturation, and broadens participation across industry, academia, and government.”
Stay Tuned
Visit ARA in Booth 831 at the 2026 Space and Missile Defense Symposium, Aug. 11–13 in Huntsville, Alabama, to learn more about this and other advanced defense technologies. Learn more at www.ara.com/smd/.
