A hypersonic propulsion company backed by Rolls-Royce, Boeing and BAE Systems has taken a step closer to developing an engine capable of powering combat jets and other aircraft at speeds of up to Mach 5 following tests of two subsystems vital to the success of the design.British-based Reaction Engines said the recently completed tests of full-scale heat exchanger and hydrogen pre-burn-er subsystems validated the design of what are key components required to supply heat energy and air to the core of the air-breathing engine.Reaction Engines, which also has a U.S. test operation in Denver, Colorado, has worked for decades on its Sabre synergetic, air-breathing rocket engine for aerospace applications, including for combat jets and to assist vehicles into space.
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