Dawn Aerospace Begins Selling Aurora Spaceplane to Customers

Dawn Aerospace, a company based in New Zealand and the Netherlands, has started taking orders for its Aurora spaceplane, a reusable vehicle designed to reach the edge of space. Announced in May 2025, this move allows customers like governments, spaceports, and private companies to buy their own spaceplanes, with deliveries set for 2027. Here’s a clear look at what this means, how the Aurora works, and why it matters.

A New Way to Buy Spacecraft

Dawn Aerospace is changing how space vehicles are sold. Instead of building and operating rockets for clients, the company is selling the Aurora directly to buyers, much like Boeing sells planes to airlines. Customers can own and operate the spaceplane for missions like scientific research or suborbital tourism. Dawn may also offer maintenance and support services, creating a model similar to the aviation industry. This could make space more affordable and accessible for smaller organisations.

What Is the Aurora Spaceplane?

The Aurora is a small, uncrewed spaceplane that takes off and lands like an airplane, using a rocket engine to reach 62 miles (100 kilometers) altitude—the boundary of space. It can fly at speeds up to Mach 3.5 (about 2,685 mph) and carry up to 22 pounds of payload. Unlike traditional rockets, the Aurora is reusable and can fly multiple times a day, potentially twice to the edge of space. This makes it ideal for quick, low-cost missions like microgravity experiments or small satellite launches.

Testing and Progress

Founded in 2017, Dawn Aerospace has been testing the Aurora for years. In November 2024, the spaceplane completed a supersonic flight near New Zealand’s Mt. Cook, hitting over three times the speed of sound. This test proved the vehicle’s potential. The company, which also provides propulsion for 25 satellites, plans to scale up production to meet demand by 2027.

Who Will Buy It?

The Aurora costs in the low eight figures, making it a purchase for well-funded buyers like spaceports, governments, or private firms. It can operate from standard runways, not requiring specialized launch sites, which broadens its appeal. Operators will need a flight director, pilot, and navigator, though Dawn has not detailed how these roles will be supported.

Why It Matters

Selling spaceplanes directly to customers could shake up the space industry. The Aurora’s reusability and frequent flight capability could lower costs and make suborbital missions more common. This opens doors for research, technology testing, and even tourism. Dawn also plans to develop orbital vehicles in the future, expanding its reach.

However, challenges remain. Reusable spaceplanes have a history of technical and financial hurdles, and Dawn must prove the Aurora can deliver reliably. Still, the company’s progress suggests it could succeed where others have struggled.

With orders now open and deliveries planned for 2027, Dawn Aerospace is positioning the Aurora as a practical tool for space access. Posts on X show excitement, with users calling it a “breakthrough” for suborbital flights. If successful, the Aurora could make space more routine, much like air travel today.

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