DRDO Tests Actively Cooled Scramjet Engine for Hypersonic Missile Development
DRDO's 20-minute test of an actively cooled scramjet engine marks a step towards India's long-range hypersonic missiles.
Source: GNews DRDO WeaponsThe Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested an actively cooled scramjet engine for 20 minutes. This significant achievement is crucial for developing hypersonic missiles with ranges exceeding 2000 km. Scramjet engines allow missiles to fly at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 and above) by using atmospheric oxygen as oxidizer, making them lighter and more efficient than traditional rocket engines. The active cooling technology is vital to manage the extreme heat generated at such high speeds, ensuring the engine's structural integrity and sustained operation. This test
- The DRDO test involved an actively cooled scramjet engine operating for 20 minutes.
- Scramjet engines enable flight at hypersonic speeds, typically Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) or higher.
- Active cooling technology is essential for scramjet engines to withstand and dissipate the intense heat generated during hypersonic flight.
- This development is a key step towards India's goal of developing hypersonic missiles with a range of over 2000 km.
- Hypersonic missiles offer advantages like high speed, maneuverability, and reduced detection time, making them difficult to intercept.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is an agency of the Government of India, responsible for the research and development of defence technologies. It was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi. It works under the Ministry of Defence.
A scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) is a type of jet engine where combustion occurs in supersonic airflow. Unlike traditional jet engines, it has no moving parts for compression, relying on the vehicle's forward motion to compress the incoming air. This allows for very high speeds, typically Mach 5 and above.
A hypersonic missile is a missile that travels at speeds of Mach 5 or higher. They are highly maneuverable and can fly at varying altitudes, making them extremely difficult for existing missile defence systems to track and intercept. They can be either glide vehicles or cruise missiles.
Exams often focus on the latest advancements in India's defence technology, particularly missile systems, their types (e.g., hypersonic, ballistic, cruise), and the organizations involved like DRDO.
DRDO's 'SCRAM' for speed: S-C-R-A-Mjet engines are for Super-Cooling and Rapid-Acceleration Missiles.