Rocket plane breaks airspeed record

After a day's delay, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched an experimental rocket-powered airplane that smashed the previous airspeed record, reaching close to 7,000 miles per hour.

The test of the X-43A "scramjet" was the third and most ambitious test of a series. The second test reached 5,000 miles per hour, while the first was aborted after problems with a rocket booster. Tuesday's flight reached Mach 10, or about 10 times the speed of sound.

NASA researchers declared the test, which was aimed both at testing the capacity of the supersonic engine and the performance of the vehicle at the extremely high speeds, a success.

The engine differs substantially from an ordinary jet engine, which typically uses internal rotors to help compress air. The scramjet works more like a simple duct, taking in air through a large opening and funneling it through a much narrower passage.

/topic/aircraft.html">aircraft, engine

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Right Stuff

by gentlewhisper November 17, 2004 10:43 AM PST

Right Stuff

Can I borrow a stick of Beemans?

Reply to this comment

Right Stuff

by gentlewhisper November 17, 2004 10:43 AM PST

Right Stuff

Can I borrow a stick of Beemans?

Reply to this comment

Reporter needs basic retraining..

by Earl Benser November 17, 2004 11:41 AM PST

Reporter needs basic retraining..

A scramjet is NOT a rocket. Any reasonably intelligent person
would know that. Maybe reporters are excluded from that
category.

Reply to this comment

all jets are rockets, not all rockets are jets

by neidr November 18, 2004 6:01 AM PST

all jets are rockets, not all rockets are jets

A >rocket< is propelled by the rocket effect- the lack of restraint, the >nozzle<, at the rear of the combustion chamber allows an unbalanced force upon the front of that chamber. This forward-directed vector allows for motion if the motor is free to move. A >jet< is similarly propelled- the pressure is upon the fan blades that bring in air/fuel through the front of the engine. In a >scramjet< this pressure is upon the incomming, hypersonic, air/fuel mix. The lack of fan blades is due to the inability of the chamber pressure wave, to travel ultrahypersonically forward through this mixture. This incomming mix effectively becomes the >front< of the combustion chamber making this type of rocket engine a special-case type of flapper-valveless WW2 V-1>Buzz Bomb< ramjet- which was a true rocket only while it's venetian blind-like valve was closed, a jet while it was open- an aviation Schroedinger's cat!

Reporter needs basic retraining..

by Earl Benser November 17, 2004 11:41 AM PST

Reporter needs basic retraining..

A scramjet is NOT a rocket. Any reasonably intelligent person
would know that. Maybe reporters are excluded from that
category.

Reply to this comment

all jets are rockets, not all rockets are jets

by neidr November 18, 2004 6:01 AM PST

all jets are rockets, not all rockets are jets

A >rocket< is propelled by the rocket effect- the lack of restraint, the >nozzle<, at the rear of the combustion chamber allows an unbalanced force upon the front of that chamber. This forward-directed vector allows for motion if the motor is free to move. A >jet< is similarly propelled- the pressure is upon the fan blades that bring in air/fuel through the front of the engine. In a >scramjet< this pressure is upon the incomming, hypersonic, air/fuel mix. The lack of fan blades is due to the inability of the chamber pressure wave, to travel ultrahypersonically forward through this mixture. This incomming mix effectively becomes the >front< of the combustion chamber making this type of rocket engine a special-case type of flapper-valveless WW2 V-1>Buzz Bomb< ramjet- which was a true rocket only while it's venetian blind-like valve was closed, a jet while it was open- an aviation Schroedinger's cat!

Picky

by peter_rat November 20, 2004 4:27 AM PST

Picky

Maybe "rocket/plane" ???
Is that better.

Pete

Reply to this comment

Picky

by peter_rat November 20, 2004 4:27 AM PST

Picky

Maybe "rocket/plane" ???
Is that better.

Pete

Reply to this comment

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[gentlewhisper]

Right Stuff

Can I borrow a stick of Beemans?

[gentlewhisper]

Right Stuff

Can I borrow a stick of Beemans?

[Earl Benser]

Reporter needs basic retraining..

A scramjet is NOT a rocket. Any reasonably intelligent person
would know that. Maybe reporters are excluded from that
category.

[neidr]

all jets are rockets, not all rockets are jets

A >rocket< is propelled by the rocket effect- the lack of restraint, the >nozzle<, at the rear of the combustion chamber allows an unbalanced force upon the front of that chamber. This forward-directed vector allows for motion if the motor is free to move. A >jet< is similarly propelled- the pressure is upon the fan blades that bring in air/fuel through the front of the engine. In a >scramjet< this pressure is upon the incomming, hypersonic, air/fuel mix. The lack of fan blades is due to the inability of the chamber pressure wave, to travel ultrahypersonically forward through this mixture. This incomming mix effectively becomes the >front< of the combustion chamber making this type of rocket engine a special-case type of flapper-valveless WW2 V-1>Buzz Bomb< ramjet- which was a true rocket only while it's venetian blind-like valve was closed, a jet while it was open- an aviation Schroedinger's cat!

[Earl Benser]

Reporter needs basic retraining..

A scramjet is NOT a rocket. Any reasonably intelligent person
would know that. Maybe reporters are excluded from that
category.

[neidr]

all jets are rockets, not all rockets are jets

A >rocket< is propelled by the rocket effect- the lack of restraint, the >nozzle<, at the rear of the combustion chamber allows an unbalanced force upon the front of that chamber. This forward-directed vector allows for motion if the motor is free to move. A >jet< is similarly propelled- the pressure is upon the fan blades that bring in air/fuel through the front of the engine. In a >scramjet< this pressure is upon the incomming, hypersonic, air/fuel mix. The lack of fan blades is due to the inability of the chamber pressure wave, to travel ultrahypersonically forward through this mixture. This incomming mix effectively becomes the >front< of the combustion chamber making this type of rocket engine a special-case type of flapper-valveless WW2 V-1>Buzz Bomb< ramjet- which was a true rocket only while it's venetian blind-like valve was closed, a jet while it was open- an aviation Schroedinger's cat!

[peter_rat]

Picky

Maybe "rocket/plane" ???
Is that better.

Pete

[peter_rat]

Picky

Maybe "rocket/plane" ???
Is that better.

Pete