Experimental aircraft goes hypersonic
Source: Associated Press
Experimental aircraft goes hypersonic
Ap
Monday, May 06, 2013
AN experimental unmanned aircraft developed for the US Air Force has flown at more than five times the speed of sound in a test off California.
The Air Force said the X-51A WaveRider flew for more than three minutes under power from its exotic scramjet engine and hit a speed of Mach 5.1.
The test on Wednesday marked the fourth and final flight of an X-51A by the Air Force, which has spent $300 million studying scramjet technology that it hopes can be used to deliver strikes around the globe within minutes.
The previous three flights ended in failure or didn't reach the intended speed.
Though the aircraft was designed to reach Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound, program officials were satisfied with its performance in the latest test.
Read more: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=233159
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)formercia
(18,479 posts)At that velocity, explosives are redundant.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Also quadruple the lift and quadruple the drag.
Mach 5 must really leave a mark.
formercia
(18,479 posts)and the damage they can cause is spectacular. Most metals vaporize at the temperatures generated.
oldbanjo
(690 posts)formercia
(18,479 posts)I stand by my comment.
caraher
(6,278 posts)Force is something else entirely...
though I'm sure it leaves a big mark either way!
I was worried, too, about the correct term!
.
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Saving Hawaii
(441 posts)Mach 20.
DJ13
(23,671 posts)Oops, did I say that out loud?
Sorry.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,013 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Ain't it weird that these programs manage to justify their budget on the last test?
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,013 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)No moving parts. But I hate to think of the fuel bill.
Ready4Change
(6,736 posts)There have been scramjets before, but only to test supersonic combustion. They were driven to speed, and kept at speed during the entire combustion period, by rockets. I think this was the first to produce positive thrust, taking itself to a higher speed than it's booster rockets delivered.
Liberalagogo
(1,770 posts)reACTIONary
(5,770 posts)Ready4Change
(6,736 posts)I hadn't seen these.
daleo
(21,317 posts)More ways to kill people faster and from farther away. That never goes wrong.