According to DARPA updates, the test flight appeared to go well until the glide phase, when monitoring stations lost contact with the HTV-2 vehicle. [Photos: DARPA Hypersonic Glider's Mach 20 Test] ...

DARPA has confirmed the splash down of its unmanned Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV-2) following the hypersonic vehicle's second test flight on August 11.

A technology demonstration and data-gathering platform, the HTV-2 ‘s second test flight was conducted to validate current models and increase technical understanding of the hypersonic regime.

HTV-2 became a 30min flight to test its carbon-carbon aeroshell with sharp leading edges and warm insulating structure that was expected to withstand 1,090°C for 1h.

The HTV-2 could hit speeds of up to Mach 20, but if Thursday's flight is unsuccessful DARPA will probably kill the project.

Japan will launch its final HTV cargo ship HTV-9 today, May 20, at 1:31 p.m. EDT (1731 GMT) and you can watch it live. Here's how.

Falcon HTV-2 is an unmanned, rocket-launched, maneuverable aircraft that glides through the Earth’s atmosphere at incredibly fast speeds—Mach 20 (approximately 13,000 miles per hour), said DARPA.

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A technology demonstration and data-gathering platform, the HTV-2’s second test flight was conducted to validate current models and increase technical understanding of the hypersonic regime.