Aircraft sets world speed record

The Age ^ | 03/28/2004 | The Age

[tomball]

 

Edwards Air Force Base, California
March 28, 2004

The experimental X-43A attached under the right wing of a modified NASA B-52 bomber moments before launch.
Picture: AFP

An experimental X-43 pilotless plane today broke the world speed record for an atmospheric engine, briefly flying at 7,700kph - seven times the speed of sound - over America, NASA said.

The hypersonic aircraft, a cross between a jet and a rocket, was dropped from the wing of a modified B-52 bomber, boosted by an auxiliary rocket to an altitude of nearly 30,000 metres and flew on its own for about six minutes before plunging into the Pacific Ocean, said the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

NASA said the prototype engine was destined to eventually power a new generation of space shuttles.

 
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[Agnes Heep]

... boosted by an auxiliary rocket to an altitude of nearly 30,000 metres ....

I prefer feet, because you get more. Meters are okay I guess, but metres are just too far out, if you know what I mean.

[x1stcav]

Gadzooks!

[facedown]

4,620 MPH? Yikes!!!

[billorites]

"I prefer feet, because you get more."

As my wife remarked on our wedding night...

[Army Air Corps]

Another step closer to regualr hypersonic flights. Hmm, LA to Sydney in three hours...

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.


How Sweet it is...!!!


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[VadeRetro]

The hypersonic aircraft, a cross between a jet and a rocket...

Scramjet technology. An early and important test passed.

[VRWC_minion]

Piker.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

From before...


'NASA plane to try Mach 7 flight'

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1106292/posts

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[ALOHA RONNIE]

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To boldly go where no man has gone before...

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[Unknown Freeper]

And still, the kids in the back will ask, "Are we there yet?"

[Zack Nguyen]

Would that cross the continental United States in what, about 45 minutes?

[Bogey78O]

Depends on the altitude and course taken. Generally about that.

[Lockbox]

4,620 MPH? Yikes!!!

One knot per hour equals about 1.15 miles per hour

Thus 7,700 kph = 8,855 mph.

[pad 34]

Gentlemen,

I'm sorry, this doesn't count.

"A pecker wood has to ride her"

Without that, no Steak Dinner.

Pad 34

[Army Air Corps]

That is kilometres per hour; all other measures were in metric and speed was among them. A kilometre is approximately 0.62 miles.

[VadeRetro]

You forgot that a kilometer is only .621 mile. Thus, "7,700 kph = 8,855 mph" is quite wrong.

[Amerigomag]

We are reaching speeds where aircraft will no longer be able to defend themselves or carry out an offensive combat role with conventional ordinance.

They will overrun their own projectile discharges and missile launches from these platforms are exceedingly delicate because of the airflow behavior at separation.

[clamper1797]

Unfortunately it kilometers per mile (kph) ... though I wish it were knots per hour