X-60A
An air-dropped liquid-fuel rocket that flies test payloads at Mach 5 to 8 above 70,000 ft for hypersonic research.
Why it matters
Real hypersonic flight data is scarce and expensive. A small rocket dropped from an aircraft can carry experiments at those speeds for less than a full missile test.
How the technology works
The single-stage X-60A is released from a carrier aircraft, ignites its liquid rocket engine, and holds a hypersonic flight path while carrying internal and external test payloads.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction