OSIDA Delegation Gains Vital Insights from Dawn Aerospace’s DARTE Mission Success

BURNS FLAT, Okla. — The Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA) is pleased to announce a deepening collaboration with Dawn Aerospace following the successful completion of the Dawn Aerospace Radar Tracking Experiment (DARTE) in New Zealand.

DARTE is a joint mission involving a joint mission involving the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) | Defence Science & Technology (DST), the New Zealand Defence Force, the Royal New Zealand Navy, and Dawn Aerospace’s suborbital spaceplane, Aurora.

The trial evaluated the radar’s ability to detect and track a high-altitude, high-speed air vehicle under controlled conditions. By conducting the experiment domestically, the NZDF gained real-world performance data without relying on overseas test ranges. In this mission Aurora was flown in custom flight profiles from Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre, while HMNZS Te Kaha, a naval frigate, tracked the vehicle using its onboard radar systems.

During a recent visit to New Zealand, an Oklahoma delegation — including OSIDA CEO Grayson Ardies and Director of Space Industry Development Craig Smith — toured Dawn’s facilities and Tāwhaki. The delegation observed preparations for the DARTE mission and and learned more about the rapidly advancing reusable rocket-powered aircraft technology being developed by the Dawn team.

“The DARTE mission highlights the incredible potential of Dawn’s technology to bridge the gap between aviation and spaceflight,” said Ardies. “Seeing this innovation firsthand reinforces why Oklahoma is the ideal environment for the next chapter of this program.”

The Oklahoma Air and Space Port will play a key role in the next phase of this program. Dawn Aerospace plans to launch flight campaigns from the Oklahoma facility in 2027, featuring next-generation vehicles designed to reach speeds above Mach 3.5 and altitudes approaching 100 km.

By hosting these future missions, OSIDA will continue to cement Oklahoma’s position as a global leader in commercial spaceflight and high-performance aerospace research. The partnership will foster international collaboration, strengthens national technological capacity, and bring cutting-edge aerospace investment to the Oklahoma economy.