Hypersonic flight takes off
14th November 2006
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and the US Air Force last week signed a $US54m deal to advance research into hypersonic flight.
Hypersonics is the study of velocities more than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) project is one of the largest collaborative ventures undertaken between Australia and the US.
According to Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator Sandy Macdonald, the HIFiRE project would see up to ten hypersonic flight experiments conducted over the next five years at Woomera in South Australia.
Senator Macdonald said hypersonic flight promised to have a significant impact on Defence as well as on international transport and future access to space.
"The Australian Defence Force is developing a high-technology, network-enabled force and its reliance on space is increasing for intelligence gathering, communications and a range of support operations," he said.
"Hypersonics offers low cost methods of transporting payloads into space, using reusable air breathing propulsion systems."
Read more here.
Hypersonics is the study of velocities more than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) project is one of the largest collaborative ventures undertaken between Australia and the US.
According to Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator Sandy Macdonald, the HIFiRE project would see up to ten hypersonic flight experiments conducted over the next five years at Woomera in South Australia.
Senator Macdonald said hypersonic flight promised to have a significant impact on Defence as well as on international transport and future access to space.
"The Australian Defence Force is developing a high-technology, network-enabled force and its reliance on space is increasing for intelligence gathering, communications and a range of support operations," he said.
"Hypersonics offers low cost methods of transporting payloads into space, using reusable air breathing propulsion systems."
Read more here.
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