The hypersonic missile has a range of over 1500 kms. Only US, Russia and China had this technology earlier. 

Technologies demonstrated during test

• Aerodynamic configuration for hypersonic manoeuvres for stability and control.
• Use of scramjet propulsion for ignition and sustained combustion at hypersonic flow.
  • A scramjet is a form of air-breathing jet engine that uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress incoming air for combustion and operates at hypersonic speeds.
• Thermo-structural characterisation to withstand extreme aerothermal environments during flights.
• Separation mechanism at hypersonic velocities.

Hypersonic Missiles

• These missiles can fly at speeds of at least Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound).
  • The speed of sound is Mach 1, and speeds between Mach 1 and Mach 5 are supersonic and speeds above Mach 5 are hypersonic. 
• Hypersonic weapons can manoeuvre midway which when combined with their high speeds makes their detection and interception extremely difficult. 

Other Missile Systems of India

• Inducted: AKASH (Surface to Air Missile Systems), BRAHMOS (Long Range Supersonic Cruise Missile), etc.
• Advanced stage of induction: NAG (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles), ASTRA (Air-to-Air Missiles), Agni (Long Range Ballistic Missile)  etc.