OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — The Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA), partnering with Dawn Aerospace, has opened applications for the Runway-to-Space Spaceplane Challenge, a U.S. competition designed to let researchers fly payloads on Dawn’s Aurora suborbital uncrewed spaceplane operating from Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat.
OSIDA said the program will allocate up to 25 flights, allowing selected teams to test, iterate and re-fly experiments, with Aurora designed for rapid, runway-based operations and turnaround times measured in hours.
“This partnership underscores Oklahoma’s commitment to being a leader in the aerospace industry,” said Grayson Ardies, CEO of OSIDA. “By utilizing the unique capabilities of the Aurora Spaceplane, we are providing our universities and research centers with a rapid-response platform to accelerate American innovation in space.”
Applications open April 16, 2026 and close 5 p.m. CT Sept. 25, 2026, with eligibility requiring submissions led by an Oklahoma-based university or research institution and permitting out-of-state partners.
OSIDA said payloads may be up to 15 kilograms (33 pounds), with flight profiles targeting altitudes approaching 100 kilometers, speeds exceeding Mach 3.5, and up to 127 seconds of microgravity.
Flights are scheduled to begin mid- to late-2027, giving selected teams about 12 months to prepare payloads.
OSIDA also linked the challenge to ongoing site work at Infinity One, citing more than $30 million in upgrades and renovations, a 2025 deployment of an automated detect-and-avoid system for advanced air mobility, and planned construction of a dedicated space operations complex for Aurora.
