Hope Indians succeed in this venture !!!
Hypersonic aircraft soon
Hypersonic aircraft soon
<b>Ground trials on the new engine will commence next year and the first actual flight may take off by 2007. </b> <!--emo&:thumbsup--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbup.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbup.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:guitar--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/guitar.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='guitar.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->
By VIJESH KAMATH
DH News Service, BANGALORE
Imagine travelling from Bangalore to London in less than three hours or cruising around the globe at 5,700 kms per hour! <b>Even as the world is celebrating the centenary of powered human flight, India is all set to actively compete with Russia, France and the US to realise what is being dubbed as âone of the greatest aeronautical research challengeâ â achieving sustainable hypersonic flight in atmosphere.</b> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Speeds greater than Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound are called hypersonic, thatâs travelling at speeds about 1.6 km per second or approximately 5,700 km per hour. A regular passenger plane flies at 0.8 Mach while fast military jets fly at Mach 2 (supersonic fighter aircraft). SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet flies at Mach 3.2. The fastest rocket-plane, X-15 flew once at Mach 6.6 way back in 1960.
The Hyderabad based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) has now taken up the ambitious task of developing an engine that can maintain an aircraft at mind-boggling hypersonic speeds. âTechnologically it is possible, but the task is very challenging. It is like sustaining a lighted candle in a hurricane,â DRDL Director Prahlada told Deccan Herald here.
An alumnus of UVCE and the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Mr Prahlada is confident India will achieve the first actual flight of the engine by 2007. Presently in the configuration stage, the ground trials on the engine will commence next year, he said.
The scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjets) propelled by a special type of air-breathing jet engine, is the key enabling technology for sustained hypersonic flight. Mr Prahlada , who is also leading the integrated guided missile programme as chairman of the Programme Board which has the responsibility of realising, producing and deploying the missile systems Prithvi, Trishul, Akash and Nag, says the project is a more practical version of DRDOâs Aerobic Vehicle for Hypersonic Aerospace Transportation (AVATAR) envisaged to deliver a 500 kg to 1,000 kg payload to low earth orbit.
Another great challenge in designing a hypersonic plane, Dr Prahlada points out, is to build an aircraft that will withstand the temperatures experienced at high speed flight.
DRDL is working with the Mishra Dathu Nigam (Midani) to develop high temperature Nickel-Cobalt alloys and other exotic composite materials that can handle the heat associated with hypervelocity flight. In addition, the conceptual design, development of technology components are being jointly undertaken by the IITs, IISc and a few universities across the country, Mr Prahlada said.
<b>India has another advantage in this sector, the aircraft could be integrated with proven rocket technology like that of Agni for providing the initial thrust during take off. </b>
Hypersonic aircraft soon
Hypersonic aircraft soon
<b>Ground trials on the new engine will commence next year and the first actual flight may take off by 2007. </b> <!--emo&:thumbsup--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbup.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbup.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:guitar--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/guitar.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='guitar.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->
By VIJESH KAMATH
DH News Service, BANGALORE
Imagine travelling from Bangalore to London in less than three hours or cruising around the globe at 5,700 kms per hour! <b>Even as the world is celebrating the centenary of powered human flight, India is all set to actively compete with Russia, France and the US to realise what is being dubbed as âone of the greatest aeronautical research challengeâ â achieving sustainable hypersonic flight in atmosphere.</b> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->Speeds greater than Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound are called hypersonic, thatâs travelling at speeds about 1.6 km per second or approximately 5,700 km per hour. A regular passenger plane flies at 0.8 Mach while fast military jets fly at Mach 2 (supersonic fighter aircraft). SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet flies at Mach 3.2. The fastest rocket-plane, X-15 flew once at Mach 6.6 way back in 1960.
The Hyderabad based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) has now taken up the ambitious task of developing an engine that can maintain an aircraft at mind-boggling hypersonic speeds. âTechnologically it is possible, but the task is very challenging. It is like sustaining a lighted candle in a hurricane,â DRDL Director Prahlada told Deccan Herald here.
An alumnus of UVCE and the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Mr Prahlada is confident India will achieve the first actual flight of the engine by 2007. Presently in the configuration stage, the ground trials on the engine will commence next year, he said.
The scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjets) propelled by a special type of air-breathing jet engine, is the key enabling technology for sustained hypersonic flight. Mr Prahlada , who is also leading the integrated guided missile programme as chairman of the Programme Board which has the responsibility of realising, producing and deploying the missile systems Prithvi, Trishul, Akash and Nag, says the project is a more practical version of DRDOâs Aerobic Vehicle for Hypersonic Aerospace Transportation (AVATAR) envisaged to deliver a 500 kg to 1,000 kg payload to low earth orbit.
Another great challenge in designing a hypersonic plane, Dr Prahlada points out, is to build an aircraft that will withstand the temperatures experienced at high speed flight.
DRDL is working with the Mishra Dathu Nigam (Midani) to develop high temperature Nickel-Cobalt alloys and other exotic composite materials that can handle the heat associated with hypervelocity flight. In addition, the conceptual design, development of technology components are being jointly undertaken by the IITs, IISc and a few universities across the country, Mr Prahlada said.
<b>India has another advantage in this sector, the aircraft could be integrated with proven rocket technology like that of Agni for providing the initial thrust during take off. </b>