Why in the News?
DRDO's Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) successfully ground-tested a full-scale, actively cooled, long-duration Scramjet engine.
More on news
- It serves as a foundational success for the indigenous Hypersonic Missile Development Program.
- India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet Engine, after the US, Russia, and China.
About Scramjet (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) Engine
- Scramjet Engine: It is an improvement over the ramjet engine as it efficiently operates at hypersonic speeds (greater than Mach 5) and allows supersonic combustion.
- A ramjet is an air-breathing jet engine that uses the vehicle's forward motion to compress incoming air for combustion without a rotating compressor.
- Fuel Used: It generally uses hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidizer.
- Key Features:
- Depends on assisted take off: Both ramjets and scramjets cannot produce thrust at zero air speed.
- Require another propulsion system (like a rocket or turbojet) to reach a high enough speed to function.
- Uses flame stabilization technique: This holds a continuous flame inside the combustor with an air speed in excess of 1.5 km/s.
- No Moving Parts: Engine doesn't use a mechanical compressor or turbine.
- Increased Efficiency: It is a more efficient propulsion system than a rocket.
- Depends on assisted take off: Both ramjets and scramjets cannot produce thrust at zero air speed.
About Hypersonic Weapons
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