India Plans Hypersonic Space Plane by 2007

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India Plans Hypersonic Space Plane by 2007

Posted by michael on Thursday January 1, 2004 @07:09AM from the reach-out-and-touch-someone dept.

MaximusTheGreat writes "While India has announced plans for a hypersonic plane (speeds greater than mach 5) before, this is the first time a firm date for test of an unmanned plane has been given. Final version of this plane called Aerobic Vehicle for Hypersonic Aerospace Transportation (AVATAR) is envisaged to deliver a 500 kg to 1,000 kg payload to low earth orbit. It will reduce the cost of space travel to a fraction to what it is today, by being completely reusable. Also, by allowing hypersonic speeds, it would for example reduce the travel time from Sydney, Australia to New York to less than 3 hrs. The crucial technology in the development of Hypersonic planes is supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet). India has already demonstrated the basic technology of ramjets by the development of world's fastest cruise missile Brahmos which outspeeds famous US Tomahawk by three times, and by ground tests of scramjets. US, Australia and Japan are also pursuing similar programs."

13 of 566 comments (clear)

Great... by brian728s · 2004-01-01 07:10 · Score: 3, Funny

Now they can outsource my job to orbit, where they don't have to pay for gravity or air...
Indian engineering by Gilesx · 2004-01-01 07:10 · Score: 4, Funny

Now *that's* what I call the fastest call center on Earth!

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Sunday you're Thinking Different, Monday you're a huge tool, paying too much and waiting to think like everyone else.
1. Re:Indian engineering by rtilghman · 2004-01-01 07:33 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  And in other news: Pakistan is planning a Venus landing by 2009! And last I heard Cambodia is bouncing back from Pol Pot and is planning to resettle all the former Khmer Rouge on Mars byt 2010!
  
  I mean seriously, WTF is the deal with all these HUUUUUGE announcements? These countries (China, India, et al) have larger problems than the lack of a space program, don't have the resources to actually fund OR launch these programs (over half of india can't READ!), etc.
  
  We may have to see this kind of never gonna happen tripe in the normal media, but can't we at least keep it off places like Slashdot?
  
  -rt
In a stunning announcement by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-01 07:10 · Score: 4, Funny

India said they planned to outsource the programming to lower paid US programmers.
1. Re:In a stunning announcement by xmuskrat · 2004-01-01 07:14 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  If I had mod points, I can't say I'd be quite sure if I'd actually say that was funny or informative.
  
  --
  activestudios web design
Don't pay for air? by xmuskrat · 2004-01-01 07:12 · Score: 1, Funny

They actually charge me to breathe air at work.

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activestudios web design
Re:Cool! by cperciva · 2004-01-01 07:17 · Score: 4, Funny

I think you're a bit confused here. This story is about India, not the USA.

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Tarsnap: Online backups for the truly paranoid
Moo by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-01 07:30 · Score: 2, Funny

The thought of a missle named after a cow just dosn't scare me somehow.
1. Re:Moo by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-01 08:19 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  The thought of a missle named after a cow just dosn't scare me somehow.
  Are you kidding? I'm scared shitless at the idea of taking a supersonic, flying cow to the face.
Re:No, not our cruise missiles too. by ortcutt · 2004-01-01 07:35 · Score: 5, Funny

> First our jobs, now are missiles.

I guess they've taken our ability to write coherent English as well.
Mmmm by No_Weak_Heart · 2004-01-01 07:48 · Score: 2, Funny

Sharks with laser beams... er, what was I thinking. Oh right, mmm num num.
it is true! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-01 07:53 · Score: 1, Funny

http://www.the-week.com/23dec21/defence1.jpg

Missiles are phallic symbols and routine infant circumcision is not performed in India. The picture proves both these statements.
Re:In other news... by Pig+Hogger · 2004-01-01 10:46 · Score: 2, Funny

The Pakastan/India conflict is eventually going to explode.
And you can thank the britshit for this. Before they lay their dirty hands on India, everyone there lived together. Now, it's three different countries who hate each other's guts.
The britshit are very good with partitionning countries, and it always blows-up in their face: Ireland, India, Koweit.
Perhaps it is time to get rid the world of the anglo-saxon incompetence, because whenever anglo-saxons touch something, they fuck it up irremediably.
Do something positive for Mankind today: shoot an anglo-saxon.