DRDO’s Breakthrough: India Advances Hypersonic Propulsion

Syllabus: GS3/Science & Technology; Defence

Context

• DRDL, a laboratory under DRDO, successfully conducted ground testing of an Active-Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor for over 1000 seconds.
  • It marks a crucial step towards advancing Hypersonic Weapon Technology in India.

About Hypersonic Propulsion Technology

• It is a cutting-edge field focused on enabling vehicles to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound).

• It is primarily used in hypersonic cruise missiles and advanced aerospace systems.

Key Features of Hypersonic Propulsion Technology

• Air-Breathing Engines: Hypersonic vehicles use Scramjet (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) Engine, which rely on atmospheric oxygen for combustion instead of carrying onboard oxidizers.
  • It makes them more efficient for sustained high-speed flight.

Scramjet (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) Engine

• A Scramjet is an air-breathing engine that operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds by allowing supersonic combustion of air.

• Key difference from a Ramjet:
  • In a Ramjet, air slows down to subsonic speeds before combustion.
  • In a Scramjet, air remains supersonic throughout the process, allowing higher speeds.
• Working principle: Uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress incoming air without any rotating compressor.
• India became the fourth country after the USA, Russia, and China to demonstrate flight testing of a Scramjet engine.

Significance of the Scramjet Engine Test  

• Validation of Long-Duration Supersonic Combustion: The test confirms the design and efficiency of the scramjet combustor, ensuring sustained high-speed flight capabilities.
  • It follows an earlier 120-second test conducted in January, demonstrating incremental advancements.
• Strengthening India’s Hypersonic Missile Program: Scramjet engines enable air-breathing propulsion, reducing reliance on onboard oxygen and enhancing missile range.
  • The successful test paves the way for full-scale flight testing of hypersonic cruise missiles.

Source: News On AIR