Let's Talk Fast! Scramjets At Mach 10

Something I just realized is that this is my blog and I can write stuff I think my readers want to know about even if it is not Web 2.0! News today from Reuters in Australia ab out an experimental jet engine is quite fascinating if oy are a "go fast" techno geek. The fantastic "scramjet" engine is reportedly capable of 10 times the speed of sound. You read rigth "10" times, or 6,835 mph. The engine is being tested in the outback by defese scientists from the U.S. and Australia at the Woomerang test facility (what a cool name).

Scram
Scramjets require a rocket to propel the vehicle to high-speed where the engine takes over in the thin atmosphere. Scramjets, short for Supersonic Combustion Ramjets use supersonic combustion air for super-maiximized combustion have a theorietic speed capacity of up to Mach 24 without the addition of oxidizers for combustion. By comparison, the fastest conventional jets only approach Mach 3.5. So, scramjet equipped aircraft could porivide the ultimate adrenalin ride for some luck test pilot. The testing is likely being done in Australia because at that speed the test vehicle would be over Nebraska before it could be slowed down to land.

Welcome Aboard
Imagine taking off from New York and being in Paris in half an hour. I can just hear the pilot saying: "Welcome about Bomerang filght 123, fasten your seat belts, place your head between your knees and kiss your asses goodbye because we will be landing in 15 more minutes." I love Web 2.0, but nothing quite tintilates the senses like the thought of raw speed.

The tests were successful according to officials from the U. S. Defense Advacned Research Porjects Agency or DARPA. The results are being evaluated and scientists are exvcited about the potential for using scramject technology for high speed flight on long range missions and for a cheap method of lauching satellites.

Technology is so cool, isn't it? Now if we could just learn to apply it to more humane endeavors, there is no telling what could be accomplished. For now it is still nice to know that your rocket scientists can come up with faster and faster stuff. There is a certain securtiy in that after all.