--- title: "Here’s a New Image of Russia’s Secret Uncrewed Spacecraft" description: "Russian news agency RIA Novosti revealed images of a hypersonic, uncrewed spacecraft that can fly at altitudes of up to 99 miles." date: "2019-02-04" modified: "2019-02-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/image-russia-uncrewed-hypersonic-drone-spacecraft" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "drone" - "hypersonic" - "roscmosos" - "Russia" --- # Here’s a New Image of Russia’s Secret Uncrewed Spacecraft ![]() *\Image: ISON/RIA\* ## Hypersonic Space Drone Russian news agency *RIA Novosti* [revealed images]() today of a hypersonic uncrewed spacecraft reportedly in development by the country's space agency. The aircraft will be outfitted with a single Briz-M upper stage engine — a Russian space rocket that's been in use since 2000 — and is designed to fly at altitudes of up to 99 miles (160 kilometers) and speeds of up to Mach 7 (5,370 mph) according to *RIA Novosti*. The drone is designed to be reusable, with a lifespan of at least 50 flights. ![]() *Image Credit: ISON/RIA* ## Made in Russia A Russian company called "ISON" will be building the spacecraft on behalf of Roscosmos. The project received millions of rubles in funding from national research foundations. According to Yuri Bakhvalov, general director of ISON, all components will be manufactured and assembled in Russia, *RIA Novosti* reports. ![]() *Image Credit: ISON/RIA* Schematics provided by ISON show that the drone will first be carried skyward by a special aircraft. The drone will then accelerate near-vertically to enter space. It'll return to Earth with a parachute. ## Test Flights The plans are reminiscent of Virgin Galactic's [White Knight Two]() system, which carries its spacecraft VSS Unity to an altitude of 50,000 feet first before it takes off. Virgin's VSS Unity [reached a record apogee]() of 51.4 miles (82.7 km) in December. It's not the only Russian hypersonic aircraft in the works. The CEO of Russian aircraft corporation MiG revealed plans in August 2018 for a different [hypersonic military jet]() that can reportedly enter space as well — though experts are skeptical that it will be ready before 2035 to 2040, [*Business Insider* reports](). Five test flights are already planned for the unnamed uncrewed hypersonic spacecraft in 2023. But we will have to wait and see — we haven't seen any photos yet. READ MORE: [Russia's next drone will fly at hypersonic speeds and into space: media]() \[*South Front*\] ***More on Russia's space program: [Images Surface of Russia's Alleged Heavy Strike Drone]()*** *Editor's Note 2/5 at 9:45am EST: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Russia's new spacecraft will be its first foray into uncrewed space travel. In reality, Russia has launched a number of uncrewed space missions in the past. The story has been updated to correct the error.* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()