SPARC Research Awarded Contract for Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Propulsion

WARRENTON, Va., Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The leading-edge aerospace propulsion company SPARC Research announced today that they have received a contract from Draper to provide propulsion design and analysis support for a future hypersonic interceptor weapon.  The concept is based on advanced airbreathing propulsion technologies enabling extended flight at speeds unachievable today. 

Hypersonic vehicles are a future class of weapons that travel at more than five times the speed of sound.  By using an airbreathing engine the stored missile fuel is burned with atmospheric air instead of propellant ingredients that would be carried in a traditional rocket, which results in greatly improved speed and range.  This flight regime requires specialized knowledge of the air properties entering the engine and the ability to model fuel combustion at the speeds greater than the speed of sound as encountered in a supersonic combustion ramjet, or SCRAMJET engine.

This exciting challenge is being met by SPARC Research's in-house experience and analysis tools. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with such a well-recognized high-technology organization as Draper.  Together I am confident we can add this emerging technology to the future U.S. defensive capability", said Dr. Patrick Hewitt, founder and President of SPARC Research.

SPARC Research was founded to advance the state-of-the-art in rocket and airbreathing technology development, preliminary design, and prototype demonstration using modern multiphysics modeling tools.

For more information, visit www.sparcresearch.com or contact:

SPARC Research, 1 (540) 351-5121, [email protected]

SOURCE SPARC Research