Article

Portugal has successfully conducted its first hypersonic test at the ESTHER facility, achieving Mach 25 flow speeds, or approximately 8 kilometers per second, in November 2025. This groundbreaking research, led by the Institute of Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion, aims to investigate high-speed atmospheric re-entry conditions and enhance European capabilities in hypersonics. Future efforts will focus on increasing operational speeds and validating materials under hypervelocity flows to support ESA mission planning.