In a major boost to India’s hypersonic missile development programme, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted an extensive long-duration ground test of an actively cooled full-scale scramjet combustor. The test, carried out by the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad on May 9, achieved a run-time of more than 1,200 seconds at the state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) facility.
The latest achievement builds on an earlier successful test of over 700 seconds conducted in January this year. According to the Ministry of Defence, the combustor was designed and developed by DRDL with support from industry partners, marking a significant advancement in India’s pursuit of hypersonic missile technology.
The ministry said the successful trial places India among the leading nations working on advanced aerospace and next-generation warfare technologies. The scramjet engine uses an indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel, high-temperature thermal barrier coating and advanced manufacturing techniques. The ground tests also validated the design of the advanced actively cooled scramjet combustor and demonstrated the capabilities of the SCPT facility.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, industry partners and academia for the successful test. He described the achievement as a strong foundation for India’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Programme.
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