Air Force Successfully Tests $300M Hypersonic Plane

When you absolutely, positively, have to blow something up really fast

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- The final flight of the X-51A Waverider test program has accomplished a breakthrough in the development of flight reaching Mach 5.1 over the Pacific Ocean May 1.

"It was a full mission success," said Charlie Brink, the X-51A program manager for the Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Systems Directorate.

The cruiser traveled more than 230 nautical miles in just over six minutes over the Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center Sea Range, Calif. It was the longest of the four X-51A test flights and the longest air-breathing hypersonic flight ever. …

This was the last of four test vehicles originally conceived when the $300 million technology demonstration program began in 2004. The program objective was to prove the viability of air-breathing, high-speed scramjet propulsion.

Comments

[Sevo]

As a gear-head, I'm impressed!
As a taxpayer, not so much.

[John Galt]

Hopefully in the future more of this type of technology will be coming out of the private sector.

[jekesheraf06]

up to I looked at the bank draft that said $5552, I be certain that my mom in-law truley making money parttime at there labtop.. there brothers friend has been doing this 4 only about 17 months and just now paid for the morgage on there mini mansion and got a great Volkswagen Golf GTI. read more at wow65.com
(Go to site and open "Home" for details)

[Anders]

NASA was involved in this? Disgraceful waste of money - that money could have been spent on ObamaPhones, Planned Parenthood, and green energy slush funds.

[ronaldlouis105]

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[StackOfCoins]

This shit is ridiculous. Do we need aircraft with pilots inside anymore?

As much as I hate the administration's policy on drones, I recognize their effectiveness at minimizing risk for people in the military. The problem is their laissez-faire use as an effective way of blowing up people in far-away places. Their current use is simply abominable, and makes the technology itself look unattractive to lesser minds.

This, in combination with the incredibly extravagant price tag, makes me wonder what era the military thinks it is in.

[cheggue]

Uh, the X-51A may or may not be a waste of money, but it is unmanned. There is no human pilot.

[GroundTruth]

Bravo! I'd like to read the link but it won't come up. If this is what it sounds like, a working scram-jet, then we may finally got the breakthrough needed for true mass space access!

[jimmy jean]

This was the last of four test vehicles originally conceived when http://www.vendreshoxfr.com the $300 million technology demonstration program began in 2004. The program objective was to prove the viability of air-breathing, high-speed scramjet propulsion.