The Centre for Hypersonics conducts research into all aspects of hypersonic flight, including test facilities, air-breathing engines, rocket flight testing, aerothermodynamics, computational fluid dynamics and optical diagnostics.

Hypersonic aerodynamics has been a major research activity at The University of Queensland over the last 20 years. The researchers in this group have been active internationally and, during that period, have been involved in collaborative research programs with about 20 universities and research organisations around the world. In November 1997 the University of Queensland Centre for Hypersonics was formally established jointly between the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Physics.