German startup POLARIS Spaceplanes announced the launch of the world's first rocket-powered airplane Aerospike. The new demonstrator is 49.99 meters long and has a wing area 30% larger than its predecessor, the MIRA model. The Aerospike differs from traditional nozzles and directs the exhaust down the sides of the center spike, allowing it to adapt to different altitudes and speeds, ensuring consistent efficiency. This makes it suitable for creating a reusable spaceplane capable of carrying cargo and passengers. Polaris plans to accelerate flight testing by building two identical twin MIRA II and III airplanes. Both will be equipped with 4 turbines and a linear rocket motor. Assembly of the new vehicles will be completed in the coming weeks. The company hopes to begin testing them as early as September of this year. In the future, Polaris plans to develop a supersonic successor to the NOVA, which will be launched in 2025 and serve as a prototype for a commercial product.