The University of Queensland will lead a $14 million international consortium to help develop scramjet-based access-to-space systems, flying an autonomous scramjet vehicle at eight times the speed of sound ? Mach 8, or 8600 km/h. In parallel, scramjet concepts will be tested at even greater speeds, up to Mach 14, in UQ’s world class hypersonic ground-test facilities.
Scramjets are air-breathing engines capable of travelling at hypersonic speeds, greater than Mach 5. Scramjet-based launch systems offer considerable promise for safe, reliable and economical access to space. The project has been awarded $5 million in phase one of the Australian Space Research Program ? the largest grant ? and also attracts $9 million from an international partnership consortium.
Chief investigator and project director Professor Russell Boyce of UQ said the project would answer key scientific and technological questions and build an industry-ready talent pool for a future Australian scramjet-based access-to-space industry. Professor Boyce said that current flight programs conducted in Australia were tackling the fundamental issues related to scramjet-powered atmospheric flight, at up to Mach 8.
[via University of Queensland]
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