Why in the News
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the actively cooled scramjet combustor of a new hypersonic cruise missile at the Scramjet Connect Pipe Test facility in Hyderabad.
Key Achievement
- DRDO achieved: 1,200 second runtime of the scramjet combustor
- Previous successful test: 700 plus seconds in January 2026
About Hypersonic Cruise Missile
- Missile capable of travelling at:
- More than Mach 5
- Over five times the speed of sound
- Approximate speed:
- Above 6,100 km per hour
What is a Scramjet Engine?
- Full Form: Supersonic Combustion Ramjet
- Air breathing engine using:
- Supersonic airflow during combustion
- Operates efficiently at hypersonic speeds (Speed:5 Mach)
- Uses atmospheric oxygen instead of carrying oxidiser
- Suitable for:
- Hypersonic missiles
- Advanced aerospace systems
Countries Developing Hypersonic Technology
- India
- United States
- Russia
- China
| [UPSC 2009] In the context of Indian defence, consider the following statements: 1. The Shourya missile flies with a speed of more than 8 Mach. 2. The range of Shourya missile is more than 1600 km. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
