World’s first supersonic combustion flight remains elusive

An attempt by a group of international researchers to achieve the
world’s first supersonic combustion flight has not succeeded.

However the HyShot research team say they have recovered valuable data
from yesterday’s rocket launch which will assist them in future attempts
to flight test air-breathing scramjets.

Project leader, Dr Allan Paull from The University of Queensland, said
he was also pleased the scramjet payload fitted onto Terrier Orion
rockets survived the journey until it returned to earth.

“Although we didn’t achieve all that we set out to achieve, we succeeded
in gathering valuable data, and we’re encouraged by the fact the payload
survived one hell of a wild ride,” Dr Paull said.

The experiment at the Department of Defence’s Woomera Prohibited Area,
500 kilometres north of Adelaide, was not successful because the
rocket experienced flight anomalies prior to the scramjet experiment.
Investigations into those anomalies are continuing.

A second experimental launch was scheduled for next week, but it is
now subject to the satisfactory outcome of the investigation into the
October 30 flight.

It is believed scramjets could revolutionise the launch of small space
payloads, such as communications satellites, by substantially lowering
costs.

MEDIA: For more information, contact

Peter McCutcheon at UQ Communications on 07 3365 1088 or 0413 380012