ISRO gears up to test scramjet engine

[Perpendicular]

Flush with the success of the technology demonstration flight of its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV- TD) last month, ISRO is gearing up to test a scramjet engine based on air-breathing propulsion.

The test flight of the indigenously-developed scramjet engine is scheduled to take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota sometime in July.

Named Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), the test platform will comprise a scramjet engine hitched to a two-stage sounding rocket (RH- 560).

“The vehicle has been characterised and is being fabricated at the VSSC and the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri,” VSSC Director K.Sivan told The Hindu over phone from Sriharikota, amid preparations for the launch of the PSLV-C34 carrying 20 satellites.

Coasting phase

The air-breathing engine will be released at a height of 70 km and ignited during the coasting phase. Apart from the hypersonic ignition at Mach 6, ISRO hopes to sustain the combustion for 5 seconds.

“The test is also expected to help us achieve good thrust value with the scramjet engine,” Dr. Sivan said.

Maintaining combustion in hypersonic conditions poses technical challenges because the fuel has to be ignited within milliseconds.


Space agencies across the world are focussing on the development of scramjet technology because it contributes to smaller launch vehicles with more payload capacity and promises cheaper access to outer space.

Atmospheric oxygen

While conventional rocket engines need to carry both fuel and oxidiser on board for combustion to produce thrust, scramjets obtain oxygen from the atmosphere by compressing the incoming air before combustion at hypersonic speed. The scramjet engine can also liquefy the oxygen and store it on board.

Dr. Sivan said the post-flight analysis of the RLV-TD test flight had shown encouraging results.

Critical technology

“We could understand the hypersonic aerothermodynamics of the delta winged body, the Thermal Protection System worked well and the hypersonic re-entry and autonomous navigation and landing could be validated. Another critical technology that was successfully tested was the Flush Air Data System to measure the surface pressure on the aircraft.”

He said it would take more analysis and detailed discussions and planning to move on to the development of the full-scale version of the RLV.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article8756849.ece

 

[Parul]

Best of Luck ISRO!

 

[guest11]

Man, ISRO is kicking some serious ***, pretty much every single week.

 

[thesolar65]

This is the only organization that does not need "FDI"....only "DI" or "I".

 

[Guynextdoor2]

My kind of agency

 

[amardeep mishra]

DRDO's DRDL has already demonstrated their own scramjet engine that ran for full 20 seconds!Aim is to extend the operation for atleast 2 mins or more! The main challenge in any scramjet combustion is sustenance of burning at supersonic regime(the airflow inside the combustion chamber is supersonic!)

 

[Water Car Engineer]

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article8756849.ece

Flush with the success of the technology demonstration flight of its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV- TD) last month, ISRO is gearing up to test a scramjet engine based on air-breathing propulsion.

The test flight of the indigenously-developed scramjet engine is scheduled to take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota sometime in July.

Named Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), the test platform will comprise a scramjet engine hitched to a two-stage sounding rocket (RH- 560).

“The vehicle has been characterised and is being fabricated at the VSSC and the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri,” VSSC Director K.Sivan told The Hindu over phone from Sriharikota, amid preparations for the launch of the PSLV-C34 carrying 20 satellites.

Coasting phase

The air-breathing engine will be released at a height of 70 km and ignited during the coasting phase. Apart from the hypersonic ignition at Mach 6, ISRO hopes to sustain the combustion for 5 seconds.

“The test is also expected to help us achieve good thrust value with the scramjet engine,” Dr. Sivan said.

Maintaining combustion in hypersonic conditions poses technical challenges because the fuel has to be ignited within milliseconds.

Space agencies across the world are focussing on the development of scramjet technology because it contributes to smaller launch vehicles with more payload capacity and promises cheaper access to outer space.

Atmospheric oxygen

While conventional rocket engines need to carry both fuel and oxidiser on board for combustion to produce thrust, scramjets obtain oxygen from the atmosphere by compressing the incoming air before combustion at hypersonic speed. The scramjet engine can also liquefy the oxygen and store it on board.

Dr. Sivan said the post-flight analysis of the RLV-TD test flight had shown encouraging results.

Critical technology

“We could understand the hypersonic aerothermodynamics of the delta winged body, the Thermal Protection System worked well and the hypersonic re-entry and autonomous navigation and landing could be validated. Another critical technology that was successfully tested was the Flush Air Data System to measure the surface pressure on the aircraft.”

He said it would take more analysis and detailed discussions and planning to move on to the development of the full-scale version of the RLV.

 

[Icarus]

I am very jealous of the progress that ISRO has been making in redefining space exploration. In the past decade, they have allowed India to break through the barrier that previously marked the domain of space exploration exclusively for the great powers. Not only is India making massive leaps in the field, they're doing it on a shoe string budget and that too with overwhelming success.
It pains me at this point to consider that Pakistan, one of the pioneers in Asian Space Exploration efforts and advanced rocketry has almost washed out from the race entirely. At this point, I think there should be no shame for us to look towards India as an inspiration. Even if just as another challenge to compete for, we need to focus on where we went wrong and revive the culture of STEM research and applied projects in Pakistan.

Congratulations to the Indian members on the historic launch today. And I'll be watching this project with equal enthusiasm.

 

[ni8mare]

I am very jealous of the progress that ISRO has been making in redefining space exploration. In the past decade, they have allowed India to break through the barrier that previously marked the domain of space exploration exclusively for the great powers. Not only is India making massive leaps in the field, they're doing it on a shoe string budget and that too with overwhelming success.
It pains me at this point to consider that Pakistan, one of the pioneers in Asian Space Exploration efforts and advanced rocketry has almost washed out from the race entirely. At this point, I think there should be no shame for us to look towards India as an inspiration. Even if just as another challenge to compete for, we need to focus on where we went wrong and revive the culture of STEM research and applied projects in Pakistan.

Congratulations to the Indian members on the historic launch today. And I'll be watching this project with equal enthusiasm.

merge with this https://defence.pk/threads/isro-gears-up-to-test-scramjet-engine.436025/

 

[Icarus]

merge with this https://defence.pk/threads/isro-gears-up-to-test-scramjet-engine.436025/

Thanks for the tip, done!

 

[Nilgiri]

Very methodical structured program here by ISRO.

ISRO should be the model that all high end design+production organisations follow in India.

 

[Joe Shearer]

I am very jealous of the progress that ISRO has been making in redefining space exploration. In the past decade, they have allowed India to break through the barrier that previously marked the domain of space exploration exclusively for the great powers. Not only is India making massive leaps in the field, they're doing it on a shoe string budget and that too with overwhelming success.
It pains me at this point to consider that Pakistan, one of the pioneers in Asian Space Exploration efforts and advanced rocketry has almost washed out from the race entirely. At this point, I think there should be no shame for us to look towards India as an inspiration. Even if just as another challenge to compete for, we need to focus on where we went wrong and revive the culture of STEM research and applied projects in Pakistan.

Congratulations to the Indian members on the historic launch today. And I'll be watching this project with equal enthusiasm.

The bloody shame is that we are not collaborating on the peaceful use of space.

 

[Nilgiri]

The bloody shame is that we are not collaborating on the peaceful use of space.

Its a shame indeed, but it is ultimately the lasting vestige of partition for all spheres of human activity in subcontinent.

I shudder to think what the total current and final cost of enforcing yet another new man made line on geography and history is and will be.

I have seen many Pakistanis here that I wish were Indian and vice-versa....but we have inherited the situation we live in and have to make the best of what it is.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Its a shame indeed, but it is ultimately the lasting vestige of partition for all spheres of human activity in subcontinent.

I shudder to think what the total current and final cost of enforcing yet another new man made line on geography and history is and will be.

I have seen many Pakistanis here that I wish were Indian and vice-versa....but we have inherited the situation we live in and have to make the best of what it is.

I wish I'd written that.

 

[Nilgiri]

I for one have no inkling to be a Pakistani. Unlike Joe and Nigiri, my only objectives are to unite india effectively, make it stronger, uplift the poor, educate the masses, etc.

What are my objectives exactly?