China’s hypersonic drone near-space launch test revealed on video for the first time

Video includes MD-21/MD series unmanned vehicle reaching Mach 7 after launch from a high-altitude near-space balloon

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China’s hypersonic MD-22 drone was first unveiled at the 2022 Zhuhai air show. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:00pm, 17 Dec 2024

A new video has revealed a remarkable first in hypersonic flight – an unmanned Chinese MD series aircraft being launched in near space from a high-altitude balloon, reaching a speed of Mach 7 before landing safely to be reused later.

The full video, released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), showcases the trials of the MD series and the drone developers behind the aircraft. The team from the Institute of Mechanics (IMECH) at CAS, known as the “Qian Xuesen Young Scientist Task Force”, were the same specialists who achieved the first horizontal landing of the hypersonic drone in 2020.

Hypersonic flight is a field of intense global strategic competition in advanced aerospace technology.

The MD-22 – the latest known model in the series – was first unveiled at the 2022 Zhuhai air show. The aircraft boasts a maximum range of 8,000km (4,971 miles) and can carry payloads of up to 600kg (1,323 pounds), delivering substantial strategic capabilities.

The concept of near-space hypersonic flight was first proposed by Qian Xuesen, the founding father of China’s space programme. He envisioned aircraft that could operate in the range between conventional aircraft and satellites, requiring mid-air launches for unparalleled flexibility.