Jacksonville Hypersonic Test Facility Break Ground It appears that Hermeus is taking the next step in their testing regime with the expected future construction of a hypersonic test facility in Florida. Hermeus is on the path to developing a hypersonic (MACH 5) aircraft they call 'Halcyon' to fly 20 passengers by the next decade. Currently the company is testing what they call the Quarterhorse which is a much scaled-down prototype. The last major update was that the Quarterhorse MK2 iteration prototype was testing the F100 engine.
While ground testing and prototype flights are necessary, the company needs its own test facility that is specifically built for the hypersonic nature of operations they are moving towards. This is why Hermeus has broken ground on their new hypersonic test facility at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. Named HEAT (High Enthalpy Air-Breathing Test Facility), this facility will be Hermeus’ largest and most technologically advanced test site to date and become a national asset for hypersonic testing. The site will also be the initial base for Hermeus’ high-Mach flight test capabilities starting in 2026, expanding cadence and affordability of the nation’s flight test infrastructure.
Hermeus will test a variety of engines and propulsion subsystems at HEAT – from the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine to Hermeus’ proprietary hypersonic Chimera engine. The facility will be built in phases with initial sea-level static engine tests starting before the end of 2024. Future phases of the facility will introduce continuous high-Mach vitiated air flow to simulate more flight-like high-Mach testing conditions on the ground.
This will be a significant investment by Hermeus costing the company approximately 135 million dollars and could create more than 100 jobs over the course of the next decade. The choice of locating the facility at this airport in Jacksonville was strategic. As a former Naval Air Station, Cecil Airport has significant test infrastructure already in place, including multiple test cells and an aircraft hush house which Hermeus will inherit and build upon. Additionally, its location in Jacksonville, FL offers a strong aerospace workforce, access to airspace for hypersonic flight test, and proximity to Hermeus’ headquarters in Atlanta, GA. For more information: Hermeus 1954 Airport Rd Atlanta, Georgia 30341 www.hermeus.com ***
