X-51 Test Flight

There is a great video showing the X-51 being dropped from a B-52 http://www.phlydaily.com/2012/08/waverider-to-make-history-x-51.html

After the last test of the X-51 failed due to a separation error of the rocket and the X-51, the Boeing Co. is up to try it again! The recent test which took place Tuesday, August 14, 2012 has concluded but no other information has been released (I will be updating this post when it is released to the public). However, the test that took place Tuesday hinted that the full potential of the X-51 would be tested. Mach 6 is what the X-51 is said to be capable of producing through its scramjet architecture. Scramjet is easy to understand but might be confusing! (I’ll try to explain…) A regular air breathing engine, such as a commercial jet engine, draws air in and compresses it. Then, goes on to produce thrust. This type of engine can create thrust at zero airspeed. A ramjet works by relying on high speeds to RAM air into the intake to compress it before combustion. The ramjet and the scramjet cannot produce thrust at zero airspeed due to the fact that it needs compressed air to create thrust. In addition, the air going through the ramjet engine is subsonic. The main difference between a ramjet and a scramjet is that the scramjet combustion takes place in supersonic air as the ramjet is subsonic. The result is that the scramjet is one of the fastest engines in the world.