A promotion team under the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has been studying scramjet engines for four years. Recently ramjets, which fly at speeds of mach 3-5, have been used widely. But scramjets are called dream engines. They can fly at hypersonic speeds of mach 5~10 by creating flames to still get jet propulsion in a combustion chamber which has wind blowing at over 1.5 kilometers a second. Also, it can be used constantly, which differs from a disposable projectile engine, because it uses oxygen from the air, so it doesn’t need to carry an oxidizing agent.
Kang Sang-hoon, a senior researcher, said: “If the scramjet engine replaces existing rocket projectiles, it can reduce launch costs by 99%. Also, scramjet engines can fly from Seoul to New York in two hours. The engine is expected to be used in military affairs because it is different from ballistic missiles, whose trajectory can be predicted. It is shaped similar to a cruise missile with the capability of flying at hypersonic speeds, so it is easy to break through interceptor missile defenses. Besides, it can be used in aerospace, not only for projectiles but also space shuttles and re-entry systems.”
The team has tested the capability of air inlets and combustion chambers, two of the three core components. The three core components are air inlets, combustion chambers, and nozzles. Next month they are scheduled to test an engine with a nozzle.
The team has tested their techniques in Kakuda Space Center in Japan, because they don’t have test tools.
Kang said: “It is difficult to acquire technology about the aerospace field from advanced countries like America, so the only way we have is developing our own technology. And the US, Europe, and Japan focus on developing renewable projectiles such as scramjet engines. If the technology is put to practical use and it begins to be commercialized, it could be a great benefit to whoever developed the technology first by occupying markets earlier.”
