Ride the wave: IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE A SONIC BOO ECHOES ACROSS THE EASTERN PACIFIC. WHEN THE X-51 WAVERIDER IS DROPPED FROM A B-52, ITS ENGINE WILL IGNITE AND THE VEHICLE WILL HEAD BEYOND MACH 6

摘要

Picture the scene... On a cool fall day, a NASA B-52H crosses the California coast and heads out over the Pacific. The test vehicle it carries is released, coasts briefly, and a solid rocket Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) booster ignites. The demonstrator will rapidly accelerate to roughly Mach 4.7, when it will separate from the booster, coast again briefly, and its scramjet engine will ignite. The air-breathing, jet-fueled engine speeds the vehicle to a flight speed of Mach 6+ (approximately 4,567mph at sea level). The powered test flight is expected to last for around 300 seconds.