US Military Might Use Space Plane Engine For Hypersonic Aircraft
- 10 years ago
The United States military might start using the British space plane engine technology on aircrafts that can fly at hypersonic speeds. Based in England, the company Reaction Engines Ltd. developed Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engines, or SABREs, that run on oxygen mixed with liquid hydrogen.
The United States military is looking into the engine technology behind a British space plane engine for possible use on their hypersonic aircrafts.
Based in England, Reaction Engines Limited has developed the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, or SABRE, that runs on oxygen mixed with liquid hydrogen.
These engines are capable of powering an aircraft to reach high speeds of over Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
The US Air Force Research Laboratory has been studying the SABRE, which was designed for use on the British Skylon Space Plane.
Alan Bond from Reaction Engines, who worked on developing the SABRE is quoted as saying: "The Air Force research laboratories in the States have carried out some modeling to verify that the SABRE does actually work, that it is a real engine, and so I am hoping they are going to confirm that very soon."
In 2013, the US Air Force tested the Boeing X-51A that covered 230 nautical miles at speeds reaching up to Mach 5 point 1, which makes it the longest flight for a hypersonic air-breathing engine.
Officials from the US Air Force have said their long term goal is to create a boost-glide system that runs at Mach 8, or over six thousand miles per hour.
The United States military is looking into the engine technology behind a British space plane engine for possible use on their hypersonic aircrafts.
Based in England, Reaction Engines Limited has developed the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, or SABRE, that runs on oxygen mixed with liquid hydrogen.
These engines are capable of powering an aircraft to reach high speeds of over Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
The US Air Force Research Laboratory has been studying the SABRE, which was designed for use on the British Skylon Space Plane.
Alan Bond from Reaction Engines, who worked on developing the SABRE is quoted as saying: "The Air Force research laboratories in the States have carried out some modeling to verify that the SABRE does actually work, that it is a real engine, and so I am hoping they are going to confirm that very soon."
In 2013, the US Air Force tested the Boeing X-51A that covered 230 nautical miles at speeds reaching up to Mach 5 point 1, which makes it the longest flight for a hypersonic air-breathing engine.
Officials from the US Air Force have said their long term goal is to create a boost-glide system that runs at Mach 8, or over six thousand miles per hour.