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16/8/2002: HyShot program secures place in flight history
University of Queensland researchers today (August 16) claimed success for the world`s first flight test of supersonic combustion, the process used in an air-breathing supersonic ramjet engine, known as a scramjet. “Our honest understanding from preliminary data is that the experiment worked,” said international HyShot™ program leader Dr Allan Paull, of UQ’s Centre for Hypersonics. “We received data for the full length of the 10-minute flight. All indications are that supersonic combustion occurred. We’ll now be submitting the results to international peer review.” 

30/7/2002: HyShot launched at 11:30 am today
The HyShot experiment was launched today from  the Woomera Prohibited Range.  The early data indicate that the launch sequence went according to plan and the HyShot team are very keen to look closely at the telemetry data obtained. Dr Paull said although the signs so far have been positive, it is still too early to say the scramjet experiment has succeeded. The scramjet experiment took place within only the last few seconds of the flight, lasting almost 10 minutes. “Hopefully we’ll be in a better position to make that assessment in the next couple of days, but at the moment I’m feeling confident,” he said.  Dr. Paull expressed thanks to all consortium partners involved in the HyShot project.

17/7/2002: HyShot second launch payload heads to Woomera
The HyShot team left Brisbane today and are heading to Woomera, 500 km north of Adelaide in South Australia. They took the scramjet payload with them and will install it on the launcher. The launch is scheduled for 30 July. 

20/6/2002: ATSB report on HyShot launch
The Department on Industry, Tourism and Resources has released the report on the investigation of the failure of the first HyShot launch, prepared by Neville McMartin of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The report concluded that the failure of the fins on the first-stage booster was the likely cause of the crash in the Woomera Prohibited Area in October 2001. McMartin notes that examinations "indicated that the fixed fin support structure had broken up during flight." However, "the examination could not conclusively determine what caused or allowed the first stage…fixed fins to move during the flight." University of Queensland Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), Professor David Siddle, said the investigation finding helps to clear the way for a second launch, hopefully on July 29. "The University appreciates that cooperation between the investigation team – the Space Licensing and Safety Office (SLASO) – and the HyShot researchers will contribute to a more successful second flight," Professor Siddle said. 

22/5/2002: HyShot second launch preparations
The HyShot team is working towards the second flight test at Woomera, possibly in late July or early August. HyShot team leader Dr Allan Paull said the team was awaiting confirmation whether the Defence Department`s Aircraft Research and Development Unit had been tasked to work with UQ on the second flight. Dr Paull said a number of issues were still to be resolved before this year`s HyShot launch. They included getting the key players in the right place at the right time, and scheduling issues, as the Woomera range was heavily booked this year. "Our payload is ready to go, we are at an advanced checking stage for our software, and our instrumentation checking is almost complete," he said. The UQ team has received the investigators` report into the first flight, which paves the way for the second flight and also has allowed the release of debris, most of which is firmly back at UQ. Dr Allan Paull said researchers at UQ`s Centre for Hypersonics and Astrotech Space Operations, the launch providers, had completed an extra analysis of the first flight and as far as American authorities were concerned, the second flight had been cleared to go. A number of corrective actions had been undertaken. Recently, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation had confirmed telemetry support was in place for the next flight. 

26/2/2002: Payload and second-stage booster found
The HyShot team have found the missing HyShot payload and rocket in the South Australian desert. This was the third campaign to try to find the payload.  An aerial team comprising kangaroo researchers from UQ’s School of Life Sciences made the discovery in the Australian Defence Department’s Woomera Prohibited Area, more than 500km north of Adelaide this morning. The aerial crew had to wait until about 11.30am AEST for a positive identification, as the ground team from UQ’s Centre for Hypersonics battled through difficult terrain to reach the remote coordinate.  "The scramjet’s pretty wrecked but we’re so pleased to find it," HyShot team leader Dr Allan Paull said.  "Finding the payload means we can eliminate some likely factors which caused the rocket carrying the HyShot experiment to veer off course last year. We hope to conduct the next experiment for the HyShot international consortium using an identical scramjet in the next couple of months — possibly April. The information we learn from the recovered payload and Orion booster may help us tweak the experiment for the next launch."

2/11/2001: Second HyShot launch postponed
The second launch of the HyShot experiment has been postponed. The University of Queensland has welcomed moves by the Australian Industry, Science and Resources Minister Nick Minchin to clear the way for another HyShot scramjet experiment. UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said he appreciated the minister's efforts to move as quickly as possible on the investigation into flight anomalies of the October 30 rocket launch at Woomera. This investigation effectively means a second rocket launch, scheduled for next week, will now have to be postponed. The HyShot crew will leave Woomera in the next few days. A new date for the second launch has not been set. 

30/10/2001:  HyShot launch did not succeed in testing supersonic combustion in flight
The attempt to achieve supersonic combustion in the launch of the HyShot experiment has not succeeded. However the HyShot research team say they have recovered valuable data from yesterday’s rocket launch which will assist them in future attempts to flight test air-breathing scramjets. Project leader, Dr Allan Paull, said he was also pleased the scramjet payload, fitted onto Terrier Orion rockets, survived the journey until it returned to earth. “Although we didn’t achieve all that we set out to achieve, we succeeded in gathering valuable data, and we’re encouraged by the fact the payload survived one hell of a wild ride,” Dr Paull said. The experiment at the Department of Defence’s Woomera Prohibited Area, 500 kilometres north of Adelaide, was not successful because the rocket experienced flight anomalies prior to the scramjet experiment. Investigations into those anomalies are continuing.

A second experimental launch was scheduled for next week, but it is now subject to the satisfactory outcome of the investigation
into the October 30 flight. 

30/10/2001:  HyShot Launched
The Hyshot experiment was launched at Woomera, north of Adelaide at approximately 1300 local time today.  Project leader Dr Allan Paull says the data are inconclusive, and he will be in a better position to make a statement about the experiment tomorrow. 

Launch of HyShot on 30 October 2001

Members of the HyShot crew with the payload 
for the first launch at Woomera

The Terrier-Orion booster for the first launch.

24/10/2001:  Launch delayed due to weather conditions
The HyShot rocket launch experiment has been rescheduled due to unfavourable wind conditions at the Woomera Prohibited Area. The launch had been scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, October 25. However, it will now take place on Friday, October 26, at 11.30am Queensland time (noon Adelaide time). 
 

13/10/2001:
The HyShot payloads have left The University of Queensland and the Queensland crew are transporting them to Woomera.  The expected date for the first launch is Thursday 25 October.