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Originally posted by intelgurl
Apparent method for this is projecting high power microwaves in front of the vehicle as it travels at hypersonic speeds.
Originally posted by FredT
Wow, any clue as to the powerplant?
Originally posted by intelgurl
....utilizing plasma fields for both heat/shockwave reduction and radar cross section reduction (yes, plasma stealth)....
Originally posted by Seekerof
Originally posted by intelgurl
....utilizing plasma fields for both heat/shockwave reduction and radar cross section reduction (yes, plasma stealth)....
Is not this a contradiction within most known military use discussions concerning plasma stealth and heat reduction, in that the use of plasma stealth 1) requires an adnormal amount of energy [energy source] to function, and 2) that theoretically, the generation of a plasma stealth field would emit huge amounts of heat, hence the glow-in-the-dark effect, etc?
seekerof
[edit on 16-10-2005 by Seekerof]
Originally posted by Seekerof
Originally posted by intelgurl
....utilizing plasma fields for both heat/shockwave reduction and radar cross section reduction (yes, plasma stealth)....
Is not this a contradiction within most known military use discussions concerning plasma stealth and heat reduction, in that the use of plasma stealth 1) requires an adnormal amount of energy [energy source] to function, and 2) that theoretically, the generation of a plasma stealth field would emit huge amounts of heat, hence the glow-in-the-dark effect, etc?
Originally posted by Shadowhawk
There is a hypersonic Scramjet Engine Demonstrator-Waverider (SED-WR) project in the works. The unmanned X-51 is sponsored by DARPA, AFRL, Boeing Phantom Works, and Pratt & Whittney.
It will be air launched from Edwards Air Force Base, California, using a B-52H. A rocket booster will propel the vehicle to Mach 4.5 then separate from the waverider. The scramjet will propel the X-51 to speeds in the Mach 7 range.
Ground tests of the scramjet engine have been highly successful.
Or perhaps the heat from the microwaves would cause the air to expand away from the aircraft, thus reducing the friction that causes the heat buildup (thus also reducing the shockwave)?
Originally posted by kilcoo316
I think there is discussion over the medium (air) through which the aircraft is travelling changes its properties quite significantly - the temperature increase will raise the speed of sound (a = (gamma*R*T)^0.5) so the aircraft aerodynamics will think that its going slower than it actually is, reducing drag, against this, lift production will not be quite so efficient - but its always some sort of compromise
[edit on 17-10-2005 by kilcoo316]
Originally posted by American Mad Man
Wouldn't this be a very desirable effect? I mean, if you have aerodynamics that allow for Mach 10 (just an arbitrary number i picked), and you can heat the air thus allowing it to fly at Mach 11 because the wings don't have to cut through dense air, wouldn't that be exactly what you wanted from this sort of aircraft?
I think at speeds such as this, generating lift wouldn't be a problem, would it?
Keep in mind I do not have a technical background.