There is a lot of chatter on social media about a potential upcoming test launch of a mysterious rocket or weapon system from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, located south of the Kennedy Space Center.

Although we cannot confirm the exact purpose of this launch window, it strongly suggests that a test of a hypersonic weapon is imminent, as reported by The Drive.

A few days ago, hazard warnings were posted, indicating the possibility of an upcoming test launch. The launch window spanned over the weekend and continued until late afternoon on Monday.

The hazard areas depicted don’t seem consistent with typical orbital system launches that are commonplace in the area, and there are no scheduled launches for such systems.

Moreover, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) commonly implemented for launch operations have been put in place subsequently.

The social media-based Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) community has been keeping a close eye on the region.

Two Gulfstream jets belonging to the Missile Defense Agency, identified by their callsign HALO, have been observed in the area, positioned along the path of the hazard area.

These aircraft are known for their role in monitoring projectiles and collecting data on missile test launches and intercepts, as reported by The Drive.

Images shared on Twitter depict what seems to be a launcher for one of the Army’s newly developed Long-Range Hypersonic Weapons (LRHW), which is currently referred to as Dark Eagle, set up in its firing position at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The U.S. military’s long-awaited weapon system, capable of propelling its hypersonic glide vehicle to extremely high mach speeds over a distance of more than 1,725 miles, is expected to launch soon.

The first unit equipped with the LRHW has been undergoing training with the system, without live firing it, for several months at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

The goal is to have the missile system declared operational this year, which would be a significant achievement in the escalating hypersonic weapons competition between the U.S. and its two main near-peer state rivals, China and Russia.

Written by staff