DRDO Conducts Scramjet Engine Ground Test For Hypersonic Missile

Context: DRDO has successfully conducted the 1st Active Cooled Scramjet Combustor Ground Test in India, running for 120 seconds.

What is a Scramjet Engine?

A Supersonic Combustion Ramjet engine is an air-breathing propulsion system designed for hypersonic speeds.

How It Works

• Air Compression: Incoming air is compressed due to the vehicle’s high speed (no turbines or compressors).
• Fuel Injection: Endothermic fuel is injected into the compressed air.
• Supersonic Combustion: Combustion occurs at supersonic speeds, producing thrust.

Advantages

• High Efficiency: Utilizes atmospheric oxygen, reducing the need to carry oxidizers.
• Reduced Complexity: No moving parts.
• Capability: Enables speeds greater than Mach 5.

Applications

• Hypersonic missiles,
• Spaceplanes and
• Reusable launch vehicles.

About Hypersonic Missiles

Hypersonic missiles are advanced weapon systems capable of travelling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound, approximately 6,125 km/h).

Key Characteristics

• Speed: Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds of Mach 5 or higher, enabling them to cover vast distances in a fraction of the time compared to traditional missiles.
• Manoeuvrability: Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a predictable arc, hypersonic missiles can manoeuvre during flight, making them challenging to detect and intercept.
• Trajectory: They fly within the atmosphere (at altitudes of 20-100 km), avoiding traditional ballistic arcs and complicating radar tracking.

Types of Hypersonic Missiles

• Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs): HGVs are launched by rockets and glide to their targets at hypersonic speeds.
• Hypersonic Cruise Missiles: They are powered by scramjet engines, maintaining sustained hypersonic speeds throughout their flight.

Sharing is caring!