Friday, June 18, 2010

7,000 miles per hour

June 18, 2010

The Air Force's hypersonic future.

The X-51A Waverider, launched from a B-52 on May 26, briefly reached speeds of over Mach 5 and remained hypersonic for more than two minutes in the most sustained flight yet using "scramjet" technology. The Air Force believes the technology opens a world of possibilities, including entry into space. In 2004, a NASA project reached some 7,000 miles per hour. Current Air Force testing is seeking to sustain the flights.

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