Tucson Standard

The University of Arizona is advancing its efforts to enhance hypersonic vehicle technology, receiving a $3.1 million grant from the U.S. Army. The project, led by Sammy Tin of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, focuses on developing Mach-X vehicles that travel faster than Mach 5 using metallic alloys and additive manufacturing.

Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for research and innovation at the university, emphasized the importance of this partnership in bolstering leadership in space sciences and national security. David W. Hahn, Dean of the College of Engineering, noted that the project aligns with national priorities and will help train students for crucial roles in manufacturing.

The research involves a team including Andrew Wessman and other faculty members from materials science and aerospace engineering departments. They will explore new alloys capable of forming complex structures required for ultrafast aircraft. This work is facilitated by the Applied Research Building, which provides necessary infrastructure.

Wessman highlighted that this project equips students with skills needed across various industries beyond defense, such as automotive or consumer electronics. The research aims to develop 3D printing protocols to reduce costs and improve manufacturing processes for hypersonic platforms.

"The challenge right now is that the manufacturing supply chain doesn't exist," said Tin regarding current obstacles in producing hypersonic vehicles affordably.

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining partners with this initiative to provide guidance on integrating technologies for defense applications. Tin believes these advancements could eventually benefit commercial aviation and space travel due to shared technological requirements across different flight structures.