New Zealand-based Dawn Aerospace has signed its first customer for the Aurora suborbital spaceplane, marking a major step forward in commercial spaceflight. Under a $17 million agreement, Dawn will partner with the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA) to launch its Aurora Mark 2 spaceplane from the Oklahoma Air and Space Port beginning in 2027.
The Mk-II Aurora takes flight under rocket power.
The Aurora Mark 2, capable of runway takeoff and landing, can carry up to five kilograms of payload to the edge of space — reaching altitudes of 100 kilometers — before gliding back to Earth. The vehicle offers a unique business model: while it is available for direct purchase by customers, Dawn will initially oversee operations in Oklahoma, deploying a dedicated team to run up to 100 flights per year.
“We’re committed to ensuring the success of the first year,” said Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn Aerospace. “But our long-term goal is to empower customers like OSIDA to operate the vehicle independently.”
The first Aurora flights from Oklahoma will commence following final testing in New Zealand, where a prototype recently achieved supersonic speeds and altitudes up to 25 kilometers. The Oklahoma Air and Space Port, located in Burns Flat, was once an Air Force base and has long sought to attract commercial space operators. Though early ventures like Rocketplane Kistler failed to take off, the state now sees Dawn Aerospace as a key to realizing its spaceport ambitions.
“With targeted investment, the state is poised to become America’s busiest suborbital launch site,” said Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell. “Aurora flights will unlock vital capabilities in microgravity research, defense applications, and commercial space innovation.”
Former NASA Administrator and Oklahoma Congressman Jim Bridenstine praised the deal, stating, “This partnership positions Oklahoma at the forefront of American space innovation. Aurora will reduce costs and enhance microgravity access for the industry.”
Aurora’s hybrid capabilities — operating as both an aircraft and a space vehicle — are attracting widespread interest from customers in the U.S. and Europe. Some prospective launch sites are conventional airports not yet licensed as spaceports. “This opens up the number of viable spaceflight locations dramatically,” Powell noted.
Although the Oklahoma facility is FAA-licensed, Dawn is still navigating regulatory classification for Aurora, debating whether to pursue a full launch license under Part 450 or a less stringent experimental permit. Powell also cited recent U.S. executive actions on supersonic flight and drone technology as potentially easing the path for regulatory approval.
Dawn Aerospace plans to scale up production gradually, starting with the Oklahoma vehicle in 2027, followed by one or two additional units in 2028. Long-term, the company aims to produce five Aurora vehicles annually.
Payload demand is already growing, with interest from researchers exploring suborbital science missions and companies seeking rapid, low-cost hardware testing in space conditions. National security agencies may also benefit, using Aurora to simulate missile trajectories and conduct Earth-observation studies.
“It’s an aircraft, but it can go to space,” said Powell. “Its affordability and flight frequency open up an entirely new class of applications.”
With Oklahoma now locked in as the inaugural launch site, the Aurora spaceplane is set to revolutionize how space access is approached — not just as a destination, but as a routine and repeatable capability.
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