At Mach 5 and above, the physics of airflow change drastically compared to supersonic flight. The intense friction generates extreme heat that can melt standard airframe materials and ionize the surrounding air, creating a plasma sheath that blocks radio communications. Vehicles operating in this regime require advanced thermal protection systems and specialized aerodynamic shapes to survive the shock waves.
The vehicle enters the hypersonic regime right after booster separation, so expect a temporary loss of telemetry.
Related terms
Re-entry
The phase of a space mission where a vehicle plunges back into a planetary atmosphere.
Heatshield
A thermal protection system for vehicles entering an atmosphere.
Scramjet
An airbreathing jet engine that operates with supersonic airflow through its combustion chamber.
Sonic boom
The loud noise caused by the shock wave of an aircraft traveling faster than the speed of sound.