🚀 Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) | 🛰 Dark Eagle (LRHW) hypersonic glide body
Launch date: April 25, 2025 00:00 UTC
Payload: Dark Eagle (LRHW) hypersonic glide body
Location: SLC-46 Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Vehicle: Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
The U.S. Army conducted a hypersonic missile launch, likely the newly named ‘Dark Eagle’ Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on April 25, 2025. The event was not widely publicized, but confirmed via airspace closure notices and observation by photographers. The LRHW is a highly advanced two-stage surface-to-surface missile featuring a hypersonic glide body. The launch vehicle was seen to stage during ascent—consistent with its two-stage configuration. The mission aligns with the ongoing development and operational testing of hypersonic capabilities by the U.S. Army.
SLC-46, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA
Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46) is located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and has played a multifaceted role in both military and commercial space launches. Originally constructed in the 1980s for the U.S. Navy’s Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile testing, the site’s capabilities have since been expanded to support a variety of other launch vehicles, most notably the Minotaur IV.
Currently operated by Space Florida, SLC-46 has hosted several key launches, including government-sponsored missions and commercial payloads. Its flexible infrastructure and strategic location on the Florida Space Coast make it an important asset for the expanding space industry. The pad has supported operations for NASA, the Department of Defense, and commercial partners, demonstrating its adaptability and ongoing relevance in modern spaceflight.