As a new kind of functionally graded materials, flier-plate materials with graded impedance can be used to launch a projectile material to hypervelocities (over 10km/s) for providing extremely high dynamic pressures (1-2TPa). In order to launch the projectile to such hypervelocities, at first very high pressures are necessary. Secondly, the high pressure loading must be uniform and shockless, i.e. quasi-isentropic compression, to prevent the projectile from either fracturing or melting. For that reason, the flier-plate material must have a rational varying impedance in its thickness direction, and the hypervelocity launcher should also be designed and optimized. In the present study, the research background of flier-plate materials with graded impedance and the key points of hypervelocity launching by such materials are mainly reviewed. The application and expectation are also introduced.