Successful Flight Testing of Scramjet Engine

Successful Flight Testing of ISRO’s Scramjet Engine Technology Demonstrator

Question: Recently the Successful Flight Testing of ISRO’s Scramjet Engine Technology Demonstrator was held on-
(a) 28 August 2016
(b) 19 August 2016
(c) 26 August 2016
(d) 27 August 2016
Ans: (a)
Related facts:

  • On 28 August 2016 the first experimental mission of ISRO’s Scramjet Engine towards the realisation of an Air Breathing Propulsion System was successfully conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
  • The solid rocket booster carrying the Scramjet Engines, lifted off at 0600 hrs (6:00 am) IST.
  • The important flight events, namely, burn out of booster rocket stage, ignition of second stage solid rocket, functioning of Scramjet engines for 5 seconds followed by burn out of the second stage took place exactly as planned.
  • With this flight, critical technologies such as ignition of air breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and fuel injection systems have been successfully demonstrated.
  • The Scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser.
  • ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), which is an advanced sounding rocket, was the solid rocket booster used for today’s test of Scramjet engines at supersonic conditions.
  • ATV carrying Scramjet engines weighed 3277 kg at lift-off.
  • India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of Scramjet Engine.
  • Earlier, the US, Russia and the European Union had tested Scramjet Engine.
  • The successful technology demonstration of air-breathing Scramjet engines in flight by ISRO is a modest yet important milestone in its endeavour to design and develop advanced air breathing engines including engines for ISRO’s future space transportation system.

Reference:
http://www.isro.gov.in/update/28-aug-2016/successful-flight-testing-of-isros-scramjet-engine-technology-demonstrator
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149271