ISRO's ‘scramjet’ engine is a big achievement
The successful testing of the ‘scramjet engine' by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday at Sriharikota is undoubtedly a rare and remarkable achievement for the entire scientific community of the country. The test has helped India joining the elite club of other nations like America, Russia, Japan, China and Europe which are already in the league. It is a testimony that our space scientists have acquired world class skills that can make both space and intercontinental transportation much cheaper than the existing ones.
Though the development of the actual scramjet engine may take decades for bringing it into the field for application, yet the successful experiment rightly showcased that the nation can develop such crucial and complex technology as K Sivan, the director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre argues. Apart from its technical advancements, the scramjet can boost economic fortunes of an emerging nation like India which is constantly vying for global connectivity to upscale its developmental efforts in the years to come.
Scramjet engines were first test fired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2004, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 2006 and China in 2015. This shows how the scramjet is fast becoming an alternative tool for replacing the conventional rocket engines which is highly expensive at the moment. A scramjet engine unlike the conventional ones which carry fuels like hydrogen and oxygen for propelling a rocket will operate with liquid hydrogen and takes oxygen from the atmosphere only.
It helps the hypersonic engine to reach supersonic speed to burn the fuel for propulsion of the rockets, missiles and space planes in future once it its fully developed. Such engines may help reducing the weight of the rockets by half, enhancing its efficiency, while cutting down the exorbitant cost that is currently incurred and enable carrying heavier payload. ISRO has no immediate plan to space plane, but it is attempting to integrate the scramjet with a reusable launch vehicle which is under process at the moment.
This will open a slew of opportunities for numerous application of the hypersonic engine. It must be noted that this engine is not going to replace the cryogenic engines that are in use, but it can be used as a supplement. Also an in-depth research is on at the ISRO for designing and developing a new vehicle as the scramjet engine cannot be put into use in the existing launch vehicles. Hope, ‘air breathing', the very philosophy of the scramjet engine that lessens the amount of oxidiser to be carried along with the fuel, may well make the space launching much cheaper and expanding it to the commercial air space will definitely do miracle for sure.