X-51A WaveRider Does Mach 5.1 - That's ~5X Speed Of Sound
The unmanned X-51A WaveRider experimental aircraft was test-flown off the Southern California coast and it did an impressive Mach 5.1 - about 5 times the speed of sound. The aircraft developed by the US Air Force flew at this breathtaking hypersonic speed for more than three minutes with the help of its scramjet engine. The test flight was the final one for X-51A after 3 unsuccessful flights in the last few months. USAF has spent about $300 million studying a new technology, called 'scramjet' - which can be used to strike any location on the globe within just a few minutes.
The top speed of the airplane is designed to be Mach 6; but the officials seem to be satisfied by the speed it's attained during tests. Program manager, Charlie Brink says that it was a full mission success.
X-51A WaveRider was released from B-52 bomber at an altitude of about 50k feet above the sea level and was accelerated by a rocket before the scramjet rocked in. Within half a minute after being powered by the rocket booster, the aircraft reached Mach 4.8 and when the scramjet kicked in, the aircraft accelerated to Mac 5.1 at an altitude of 60k feet. The flight was plunged into ocean, as planned.
During its test flight, the X-51A WaveRider covered 230 miles in just 6 minutes which made it the longest hypersonic flight of its kind. Darryl Davis of Boeing Phantom Works called it historic achievement.
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The top speed of the airplane is designed to be Mach 6; but the officials seem to be satisfied by the speed it's attained during tests. Program manager, Charlie Brink says that it was a full mission success.
X-51A WaveRider was released from B-52 bomber at an altitude of about 50k feet above the sea level and was accelerated by a rocket before the scramjet rocked in. Within half a minute after being powered by the rocket booster, the aircraft reached Mach 4.8 and when the scramjet kicked in, the aircraft accelerated to Mac 5.1 at an altitude of 60k feet. The flight was plunged into ocean, as planned.
During its test flight, the X-51A WaveRider covered 230 miles in just 6 minutes which made it the longest hypersonic flight of its kind. Darryl Davis of Boeing Phantom Works called it historic achievement.
Source: #-Link-Snipped-#
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