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Results Just In: HyShot Scramjet Test a Success
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
posted: 09:50 am ET
16 August 2002
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www Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia claimed on August 16 a world first - a flight-test of supersonic combustion. An air-breathing supersonic engine -- tagged as a scramjet -- flew over two weeks ago aboard a rocket launched from a test range in Woomera, Australia. According to officials at the university's Center for Hypersonics, who carefully studied data produced during the 10-minute rocket flight, the experimental scramjet worked. The scramjet test took place within only the last few seconds of the flight. "All indications are that supersonic combustion occurred. Well now be submitting the results to international peer review," said Allan Paull, of the center. The rocket flight was part of Australia's HyShot program, an effort involving in-flight tests of scramjet technology, validating experiments done in ground test facilities. The July 30 HyShot launch was designed to take the scramjet engine to a speed of Mach 7.6 - or more than seven times the speed of sound. A scramjet engine doesn't need to haul a large stash of propellant as it uses oxygen sucked out of the atmosphere to combust with a small amount of onboard hydrogen. Aerospace engineers have long sought scramjet technology for both aviation and space applications. For instance, scramjet vehicles could launch small space payloads at substantially lower cost.
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