UP Aerospace has completed the first launch of its Spyder hypersonic rocket, which will mark a significant advance in flight response capabilities. The launch took place Fr. 7:00 a.m. 17 June 2025 year from launch complex #36 and reached hypersonic speeds, similar to the speeds of long-duration SpaceLoft missions.
The test was supported by Navy Detachment White Sands and funded by the Stockpile Response Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which successfully deployed its airborne test payload in flight.
Designed for Mach class missions 10, the Spyder launch vehicle is the result of eight years of joint development by UP Aerospace, Cesaroni Aerospace, NASA Flight Capability Programs, Marshall Space Flight Center and LANL. UP Aerospace and Cesaroni collaborate with 2005 of the year on innovations in the field of solid rocket engines, including the main booster and Spyder upper units.
Plans for the Spyder include improvements, such as high-performance accelerator and multi-stage configurations, designed to reach a height of approx 300 kilometers, which will expand its capabilities for hypersonic testing.
During its 16-year history, UP Aerospace has flown missions for NASA, European Space Agency and LANL. Spyder development was accelerated by a NASA Tipping Point contract, concluded in 2017 year, which provided enhanced capabilities for testing re-entry technologies and thermal protection systems at lower costs and in a shorter time frame.
Spyder-1's successful launch sets the stage for the next mission, in which guidance and control systems will be integrated into the Spyder-2 vehicle, scheduled for the beginning 2026 year.
Source: https://www.spacedaily.com/