New series of trials to follow 2002's HyShot success will start in second half of next year and build to M14
Australia plans a new series of hypersonic flights, beginning with a Mach 10 supersonic-combustion ramjet flight test in the second half of next year. The tests will follow on from the HyShot scramjet flight from Woomera in July 2002, which reached at least M7.6 and achieved supersonic combustion in flight for the first time.
The Australian Hypersonics Initiative (AHI) and US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have signed a A$4.6 million ($3.26 million) contract to conduct the Hypersonic Collaborative Australian/United States Experiment (HyCause).
Formed last year, the AHI includes the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, several universities and the state governments of New South Wales and Queensland. The initiative is led by the University of Queensland's (UQ) Centre for Hypersonics, which conducted the HyShot tests at the Woomera, South Australia range.
The HyCause flight will be similar to HyShot in that it will be a captive-carry test, with the scramjet staying attached to the second stage of its booster rocket, but the engine will be larger, with a different geometry, materials and fuel.
The HyShot scramjet, built of copper by UQ itself, had two rectangular combustion chambers, one hydrogen-fuelled and one unfuelled for reference. The new larger and more advanced scramjet will be built by Australia's defence industry.
The AHI plans a series of flight tests at M10, M12 and M14 on the path to developing a satellite launcher powered by a variable-geometry scramjet capable of accelerating the vehicle from M8 to M14. After the successful M7 free flight of the scramjet-powered X-43A in March, NASA plans a M10 test of the unmanned research vehicle later this year.
The X-43A achieved supersonic combustion and net thrust after release from its air-launched booster rocket.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International