Auriga Space has completed the first field test of Hermes, a containerised electromagnetic launch system designed to provide a reusable, low-cost counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) capability.
The company conducted more than a dozen launches at supersonic speeds above Mach 1 at a remote site in California’s Mojave Desert. The tests were carried out in high temperatures and away from existing infrastructure to assess the system in a field environment.
Hermes packages Auriga’s electromagnetic launch technology into a 10-foot shipping container. The system uses electrical energy to accelerate projectiles. During the test, the container operated using internal batteries recharged by onboard solar power, with Auriga saying the system can support hundreds of launches on a single charge.
Auriga plans a second field test this autumn, with the next version expected to focus on ruggedising the system for harsh environments and improving aiming and reloading between launches.
The company is also working with the US Army DEVCOM Armaments Center on a research partnership to advance Hermes as a C-UAS platform.
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(Image: Auriga Space)
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