Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

NASA Tests X-43A

Posted by michael on from the need-for-speed dept.

An anonymous reader writes "NASA TV has live coverage of the launch of the X-43A scram jet flight. Hopes are that the unmanned vehicle will reach speeds in excess of mach 7-10. The last flight a few years ago failed." Stephen Watts sends this link for X-43A background information.

4 of 263 comments (clear)

  1. Re:launch it allready! *dammit* by xenocyst · · Score: 4, Insightful

    and destroy it again because they forgot something
    good idea

    --
    And, no, I should not have used the goddamn Preview mode first.
  2. How does this help? by /dev/trash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    it all uses the same bandwidth pool right?

  3. Re:launch it allready! *dammit* by flewp · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And probably irrelevent, since there's no funding for future tests.

    Ah, but if it is successful, they may direct more funding towards this kind of research. Even if it isn't successful, they might learn enough to still warrant putting in more funding.

    --
    WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
  4. Re:Not that fast by Moofie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You are wrong.

    A supersonic combusting ramjet is way way way incredibly more technically challenging than a regular ramjet.

    Managing the shock wave systems to provide adequate fuel mixing and ignition is only barely possible today with the biggest computer simulations on the planet.

    I don't know what you consider "revolutionary", but sustained supersonic combustion is a Really Big Deal.

    --
    Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!