Why in the News?
The DRDO Laboratory (DRDL), located in Hyderabad, successfully demonstrated long-duration Active Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor ground testing for over 1,000 seconds.
About Hypersonic Cruise Missiles:
- Hypersonic cruise missiles are advanced weapons capable of travelling at speeds greater than Mach 5 (approximately 6,100 km/h), making them 5x faster than the speed of sound.
- These missiles use Scramjets (Supersonic Combustion Ramjets) powered by atmospheric oxygen, making them more efficient for long-duration travel compared to traditional missiles that carry their own oxidizers.
- They maintain high speeds and are highly manoeuvrable, making them difficult to intercept by current missile defense systems.
- They can strike targets at long ranges with minimal warning and penetrate advanced defense shields.
DRDO’s Achievement:
- The DRDO successfully conducted long-duration Active Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor ground testing for over 1,000 seconds.
- This test advances India’s capability to develop hypersonic cruise missiles, validating the design of the scramjet combustor and the test facility, both crucial for developing air-breathing propulsion systems.
- This paves the way for full-scale flight-worthy combustor testing, bringing India closer to developing functional hypersonic missiles and enhancing its defense capabilities.
| [UPSC 2023] Consider the following statements:
1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their fights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight. 2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2* |
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