NASA to launch Scramjets from Scramsleds

NASA's next potential space project seems ripped straight from science fiction novels -- a horizontal aircraft launcher for the space agency's supersonic air-breathing jets.

www.foxnews.com
www.nasa.gov

Scramjet propulsion is the future. Soon we will be able to launch scramjets from horizontal launchers or 'scramsleds.' These launchers may even use MagLev transportation technology. This eliminates the need for a supersonic jet to carry the scramjet up to speed. It also means the space shuttle is truly a thing of the past. The scramjet can be used to launch satellites into space without having to carry the extra mass of oxidizers. Scramjets have the potential to attain speeds of Mach 25 (17,000 mph) which is fast enough to go into orbit.

"It is to enable the ability to get to space, return to Earth, then get back to space with an aircraft-like operations tempo," according to the Pentagon's Hypersonic Roadmap, a formal strategy governing the growing number of scramjet-related developments being pursued by the U.S. military and NASA.

spaceflightnow.com

See how cool the scramjet is. Maybe I am just biased..

The launch ramps aren't a rip off from Sci-Fi, although When Worlds Collide haf a cool ramp in it, this is a development from the German V1 rocket launch mechanism with the benefit of a linear motor.

Linear motors are so cool, Professor Laithwaite was a great man!

reply to post by Rob37n


Yeah but the V1 used a steam powered horizontal launcher, similar to what aircraft carriers use. Aircraft carrier launchers accelerate planes from 0-165 mph. That is sufficient for take off if you're flying a turbojet craft.

A new hybrid type vehicle that incorporates ramjet + scramjet technology would have to be launched at 300-400 mph minimum as ramjets cannot operate below those speeds. One of the artiles I read said they plan to launch it at 600 mph.

Plus there's talk of the new Maglev launcher which the military seems interested in using on their next generation of aircraft carriers as well. It sounds like the 22nd century is just around the corner.

I agree, the speeds are going to be much greater, but the technology is based on the V1 rockets. One note though, the V1 didn't use steam powered launch technology as in aircraft carriers, instead ground-launched V-1s were typically propelled up an inclined launch ramp by an apparatus known as a Dampferzeuger ("steam generator") which used hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate (T-Stoff and Z-Stoff).

The intervening 60 years have seen a fair few advances in technology

I agree that this is this technology is pretty cool and it is the future of aeronautics. The pics from the articles look alot like the X-43 hypersonic air vehicle and the falcon hypersonic vehicle.
X-43
Falcon

reply to post by Rob37n

V-1s were typically propelled up an inclined launch ramp by an apparatus known as a Dampferzeuger ("steam generator") which used hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate (T-Stoff and Z-Stoff).

Hmm I did not know that. Very interesting. Thanks Rob.
Dampferzeuger sounds very german.