Scientists from Australia and U.S. have developed an experimental scramjet engine that can reach speeds as high as Mach 10.

This super-fast engine has been successfully tested in Australia’s outback, where it reached speeds up to 11,000 kmph or 6,835 mph. Researchers now hope that this engine will give them a way to develop aircrafts that can fly at super-high speeds.

Still scramjet engine is not as agile as an ordinary jet engine. Scramjet engine can only be started when the aircraft is already at a high speed and at a high altitude. For this scientists use an ordinary jet engine to take the aircraft at a high speed to a high altitude, when the conditions are met then the scramjet engine is fired thus increasing the speed of the aircraft.

The tests have been successful and flight data will be examined over the coming weeks and compared to ground tests conducted in the United States.

With this successful test, researchers are now hoping that their dream to build a hypersonic airplane will soon become a reality and that too in the near future. Scramjet engines can also show us the way to develop aircrafts that could fly at high speeds for long distances. Moreover, these engines can also be used as a cheap way to launch satellites into orbit.

Via: Reuters78289