Source: PIB
Context: India has achieved a significant milestone in hypersonic technology with the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) successfully conducting a 120-second ground test of the Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (Scramjet) engine.
About Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (Scramjet):
- What is Scramjet Technology?
- A Scramjet is an air-breathing engine designed to sustain combustion at supersonic speeds, operating efficiently at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5+).
- Developed by: Indigenous efforts by DRDL (DRDO) in collaboration with industry partners.
- How it works:
- Utilises the vehicle’s forward motion to compress atmospheric oxygen for combustion, eliminating the need to carry an oxidiser.
- Fuel mixes with compressed air in the combustion chamber, igniting to produce thrust at high speeds.
- Innovative flame stabilization techniques ensure ignition in extreme conditions.
- Key Features:
- Air-Breathing Engine: Uses atmospheric oxygen, reducing propellant weight.
- Advanced Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC): High-temperature resistance, enhancing engine performance.
- Endothermic Scramjet Fuel: Developed indigenously, it improves cooling and ignition efficiency.
- No Moving Parts: Reduces mechanical complexities, increasing reliability.
- Significance of Scramjet Technology:
- Hypersonic Missiles: Enables development of advanced missiles that can bypass air defence systems and deliver rapid, high-impact strikes.
- Reusable Launch Vehicles: Reduces the cost of satellite launches by using air-breathing propulsion systems.
- Strategic Edge: Positions India among a select group of nations (USA, Russia, China) with hypersonic capabilities.
- Reduced Launch Costs: Potential for cheaper, reusable satellite launch systems by minimising fuel weight.
- Technological Breakthrough: Advances in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and material science, contributing to aerospace innovations.
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