[ExI] scramjet

[BillK]

On 5/28/10, The Avantguardian wrote:
> Mach 6 is nearly 4000 mph. You don't see an application for getting from LA to NY
> in 30 minutes?
>
>


The X51 is a military project. It's a missile.
What the USAF want is a hypersonic cruise missile.

Cruise missiles are nice, but they can take hours to reach their
target. If the target is a mobile group of terrorists, they could be
gone by the time the missile arrives.

ICBMs with conventional warheads could reach the target in about 30
mins, but they look like a nuclear attack to interested observers,
which might provoke an unwelcome response.

Now, a hypersonic cruise missile......  Yummy!


Civilian uses are unlikely because scramjets have to use a solid
rocket booster to get supersonic before the scramjet can fire up. The
g-forces are probably outside Health and Safety limits.  ;)


BillK