ScramSpace hypersonic jet launch unsuccessful

The Queensland team behind the ScramSpace hypersonic space craft say their $14 million experiment has been discontinued after an unsuccesful launch earlier today from the Andøya Rocket Range in Norway.

The University of Queensland ScramSpace team prepares the craft for launch.

A spokesperson for the University of Queensland research group told iTnews they were working on getting more information on why the launch failed and would provide further updates as this happened.

According to the team the ScramSpace took off as planned, with the first and second stages of the hypersonic craft landing safely in water, but the payload did not reach the correct conditions to start data collection.

Project director professor Russel Boyce said the ScramSpace team was disappointed the experiment had been discontinued and was investigating the case.