Supersonic Carry Testing Advances Hypersonic Propulsion Program

GE Aerospace announced the successful supersonic carry flight tests of its Atmospheric Test of Launched Airbreathing System (ATLAS) flight test vehicle, signifying a major advancement of its solid fuel ramjet propulsion technology.

The system was carried aboard a Starfighters F-104 aircraft which was successfully flown at supersonic speeds three times at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

By mounting the ramjet on an aircraft, engineers can measure aerodynamic loads, vibration, and heating the cannot be duplicated in a wind tunnel. The goal of the program is to determine whether ramjets will be a practical propulsion choice for future hypersonic weapons.

Mark Rettig, Vice President and General Manager of Edison Works Business & Technology Development at GE Aerospace said, “This marks a pivotal moment for GE Aerospace as we showcase our solid-fuel ramjet technology in flight for the first time. Testing reusable flight hardware in realistic atmospheric conditions allows us to better understand system behavior and move more quickly through development.”

The Starfighters Aerospace F-104 aircraft are derived from the Lockheed F-104 and operated out of Kennedy Space Center as platforms for commercial, government, and military test programs.

GE has expanded its research of hypersonics in recent years, particularly with the acquisition of Innoveering, a propulsion specialist company with expertise in advanced air-breathing systems. GE also is making major infrastructure upgrades to accelerate hypersonic R&D at its facilities in Evendale, Ohio, and in Bohemia and Niskayuna, New York.

FMI:  www.geaerospace.com/