{"id":45920,"date":"2023-09-07T00:13:22","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T16:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/heres-what-we-know-about-a-mysterious-launch-from-florida-this-week\/"},"modified":"2023-09-07T00:13:22","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T16:13:22","slug":"heres-what-we-know-about-a-mysterious-launch-from-florida-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/heres-what-we-know-about-a-mysterious-launch-from-florida-this-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s what we know about a mysterious launch from Florida this week"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thursday update: <\/strong>The US military confirms it scrubbed a planned hypersonic missile test Wednesday. The test has not yet been rescheduled. Here\u2019s the full statement from a spokesperson from the Office of the Secretary of Defense: \u201cOn September 6, the Department planned to conduct a flight test at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida to inform our hypersonic technology development. As a result of pre-flight checks the test did not occur. The Department was able to successfully collect data on the performance of the ground hardware and software that will inform the continued progress toward fielding offensive hypersonic weapons. Delivering hypersonic weapons remains a top priority for the Department.\u201d<\/p>\n

Original post: <\/strong>Airspace and maritime navigation warnings released to pilots and mariners suggest the US military might launch a hypersonic missile this week on a test flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida.<\/p>\n

This test could be one of the final milestones before the US Army fields the nation\u2019s first ground-based hypersonic weapon, which is more maneuverable and more difficult for an enemy to track and destroy than a conventional ballistic missile. Russia has used hypersonic missiles in combat against Ukraine, and US defense officials have labeled China as the world\u2019s leader in emerging hypersonic missile technology.<\/p>\n

That has left the US military playing catch-up, and the Army is on the cusp of having its first ground-based hypersonic missiles ready for active duty. If informed speculation is correct, the test launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this week\u2014performed in partnership with the Army and the Navy\u2014could be a full-scale test of the new solid-fueled hypersonic missile to propel a hypersonic glide vehicle to high speeds over the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n

Time and place<\/h2>\n

The missile\u2019s scheduled launch window and trajectory are indicated by the parameters of the published launch hazard zones. According to experts who closely monitor launch activity, the flight path closely matches the expected trajectory for a planned hypersonic missile test that was previously supposed to launch from Cape Canaveral earlier this year.<\/p>\n

The flight path doesn\u2019t align with any planned missions by SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, or NASA. That leaves the US military, which isn\u2019t saying much about the operation.<\/p>\n

,<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have nothing to announce at this time,\u201d a spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary of Defense told Ars. \u201cTest dates and event details are not announced in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n

It appears the missile test could take off from Cape Canaveral as soon as Wednesday between approximately 10 am EDT and 1:30 pm EDT (14:00-17:30 UTC), according to the air and sea navigation warnings. The exact launch window hasn\u2019t been announced.<\/p>\n