Scramjet Propulsion: The Systems and Technologies to Enable Hypersonic Flight

Scramjet Propulsion: The Systems and Technologies to Enable Hypersonic Flight


Scramjet Powered Vehicle. Credit: Leidos Aerospace

  • This course provides a lucid and wide-ranging introduction to the interdisciplinary field of high-speed air-breathing propulsion, focusing on scramjet engines
  • All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.

OVERVIEW 

Hypersonics is a multidisciplinary field that has grown vastly and it requires specialized engineering study. The objective of this professional short course is to provide an overview of technologies required for the development and maturing of scramjet engines, including combined cycle propulsion systems to power hypersonic cruise aircraft and trans-atmospheric reusable spaceplanes. The course will address diverse topics such as:

  • Ram/Scramjet Propulsion Design Requirements
  • Aerothermodynamics of airframe integrated scramjet propulsion
  • Ram/Scramjet Combustion and Endothermic Fuels
  • Materials, Structures and Thermal Management
The exposure presented in this course will lead the participants, both the technically trained and those new to the field such as current students, engineers, and managers, to a better understanding of the challenges of hypersonic flight, providing an overview of the most important propulsion technologies being developed today.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Understand the performance metrics of high-speed air-breathing propulsion
  • Obtain a clear picture of the state of hypersonic trans-atmospheric flight (Mach > 5)
  • Learn the critical technologies that must be matured to operate a scramjet in dual-mode
AUDIENCE
Engineers, university instructors, and students in aerospace and mechanical engineering can use this course as an introduction to the field or for reference. Managers and other professionals will also benefit by expanding their technical portfolio and skill set. The presentation will be given in a clear and concise manner to appeal to those not already working in the field.

COURSE INFORMATION
Type of Course: Instructor-Led Short Course
Course Level: Fundamentals
Course Length: 2 days
AIAA CEU’s available: Yes

 

This course is also available on-demand. Register here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Outline

The scramjet engine is the enabling propulsion system for hypersonic flight, as demonstrated by the successful demonstration flight tests carried out in the U.S. and in Australia in the 2000s. The NASA X-43A aircraft, AFRL/DARPA X-51A waverider, and U.S. AFRL/Australia DST HIFiRE programs proved that both hydrogen and hydrocarbon fueled scramjet engines can effectively propel a vehicle to hypersonic speed. New programs are now funded to expand the scramjet capability thus demonstrated, focusing on combined cycle engines, maturing the technologies required for sustained air-breathing hypersonic flight.

This course will address the design requirements for scramjet propulsion, and the technologies (high temperature materials, fuels) required to attain sustained high-speed flight.

 

Class  Topic
1 Introduction to Air-Breathing Propulsionè Focus on the Scramjet Engine
2 Theoretical Backgroundè Cycle Analysis and Performance Metrics
3 Scramjet Inlets, Isolators, and Exhaust Nozzles
4 Combustor and Fuels
5 Dual-Mode Air-Fuel Combustion: Operation as Ramjet and Scramjet with Single Flowpath
6 Hypersonic Boundary Layers and Design Challenges
7 Combined Cycle Propulsion and Integration Issues
8 High Temperature Materials, Structures, and Thermal Management
9 The State of High-Speed Air-Breathing Propulsionè Concluding Q&A


DISCLOSURE
The material presented in this course is based on the Instructor’s knowledge and data freely available and published in books, technical reports, public briefings, conference papers and journal articles. No ITAR or proprietary material will be discussed in the lectures. Every effort is made to cite sources and provide full references so that participants may obtain further details on the addressed topics. All images used to illustrate hypersonic technologies are cleared for public release and most are available through the Internet.

Materials
Instructors

Dr. Dora Musielak is a Research Professor, an expert in propulsion, educated in Aerospace sciences and Engineering. She has extensive industry and academia experience spanning more than 25 years, managing R&D projects in propulsion engineering. Dr. Musielak has lectured on diverse topics related to propulsion and space exploration technologies at universities in England, China, Mexico, Panama, Italy, Germany, and in the United States. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including NASA Research Fellowships, and a distinction as Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She has authored several books, including Scramjet Propulsion: A Practical Introduction. (2022) Wiley (Aerospace Series).

 

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