X-51A Waverider hypersonic vehicle

Winner of the 2011 Laureate Award for Aeronautics and Propulsion- X-51A Waverider hypersonic vehicle team members Charles F. Brink, X51A program manager at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB; George Thum, X-51A program manager at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne; and Joseph Vogel, X-51A program manager at Boeing Phantom Works. During a test drop on May 26, 2010 over the Pacific Ocean Test Range, the X-51A's SJY61-2 scramjet engine was lit. For 143 seconds, the vehicle slowly accelerated and maintained stable, controlled flight while onboard sensors transmitted data. The test marked the first time that a scramjet engine had proven that it could accelerate an aerospace vehicle in a controlled flight for a substantial amount of time and distance.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Aviation Week
• aviation
• aeronautics
• propulsion
• engines
• aircraft
• engine lift
• leadership
• laureate

[mrexon]

the scramjet never even functioned... if it did then why did you cut video right after the booster separated? what happened? did the second stage ethanol never ignite just as the first two X-51 test drones?