The University of Queensland and Australia were among world leaders in space plane and hypersonics research at a conference in France last week.

Australia was second only to China in the number of papers presented at the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics International Spaceplanes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, the leading conference for the hypersonics community, with UQ giving 24 of the 27 Australian papers.

UQ Centre for Hypersonics chair Professor Russell Boyce said the conference showed Australia's expertise in a future-focused area.