German Aerospace Startup Lands Hypersonic Testbed Contract Amid Rare European Initiative

Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded Polaris a contract for the development and operation of a two-stage, fully reusable hypersonic research vehicle. The HYTEV program is intended to provide the Bundeswehr with a dedicated testbed for defense-related research and scientific experimentation. According to Polaris, the system will be flight-ready by the end of 2027. This rare European initiative may signal a growing interest in hypersonic technology among industrial players.