Скачать или смотреть Researchers test supersonic jet in outback

(25 Mar 2006)
1. Various of scramjet on launcher
2. Various of scientists in control room
3. Various of workers in control room
4. Close up of computer screen
5. Control room worker (UPSOUND: "Minus ten minutes")
6. Various of launch
STORYLINE:
Researchers on Saturday conducted a test flight in the Australian Outback of a supersonic jet intended to travel at speeds of up to 8,000 kph (5,000 mph).
The 2 million Australian dollar (US$1.42 million) project was launched by researchers at the University of Queensland in the remote community of Woomera, about 500 kilometres (310 miles) north of the South Australian state capital, Adelaide.
The so-called Supersonic Combustion Ramjet - or scramjet - engine was developed by British company QinetiQ.
It was attached to a rocket and launched to an altitude of 314 kilometres (195 miles) during its 10 minute flight, according to a statement from the University of Queensland.
Programme leader Allan Paul said it was too early to tell if the rocket had reached its intended speed of up to 8,000 kph (5,000 mph), but was optimistic about the launch.
Some observers say scramjet technologies could revolutionise air travel.
The US has already carried out a flight test with a scramjet engine, while the Europe Union, Japan, China, Russia and India are in different stages of testing their technologies.
Paul said scramjet-powered passenger jets are still a long way off, but it might be possible to use a scramjet-powered plane within the next 10 years for limited purposes, such as delivering vital organs for urgent transplant operations.
Currently, the fastest that a conventional aircraft can fly is Mach 3.2, or 3.2 times the speed of sound, achieved by the US Air Force's SR-71 Blackbird.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...