Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) is uniquely positioned to offer a variety of liquid-fueled propulsion system concepts for hypersonic flight. At the heart of these systems is a dual-mode scramjet, allowing the engine to function as a subsonic combustion ramjet at low supersonic speeds (Mach 3-5) and as a supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) at high supersonic speeds (greater than Mach 5).
With its long history in the development of hypersonic engines, PWR is considered to be the leader in fuel-cooled hydrocarbon technology. The company is developing a wide range of hypersonic propulsion system technologies applicable to aircraft and missiles including high speed weapons, hypersonic cruise vehicles that will provide rapid global reach for reconnaissance and strike missions: and concepts that will provide enhanced access to space.
PWR is teamed with U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and Boeing on the X-51A program with the goal of demonstrating the practicality of hypersonic flight.
The first X-51A WaveRider flight test vehicle, powered by PWR’s scramjet engine, recently arrived at Edwards Air Force Base. Calif., in preparation for an inaugural test flight in the spring of 2010. It is expected to be the first-ever sustained flight of an air-breathing engine beyond Mach 6 using conventional jet fuel to both fuel and cool the engine.
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