DRDO Scramjet Combustor Test: 1,000 Seconds
Why in the news
DRDO’s DRDL ran a long-duration ground test of a scramjet combustor in Hyderabad, a step towards India’s hypersonic cruise missiles.
Key facts
- DRDL tested an Active Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor for over 1,000 seconds at the new Scramjet Connect Test Facility, Hyderabad.
- It improves on a 120-second test in January 2025.
- Scramjets burn fuel in supersonic airflow without moving parts, powering cruise missiles above Mach 5 (6,100 km/h).
Speed classes
| Type | Speed |
|---|---|
| Sonic | Mach 1 (about 1,235 km/h at sea level) |
| Supersonic | Above Mach 1, typically Mach 2-3; example BrahMos |
| Hypersonic | Above Mach 5; often scramjet-powered and manoeuvrable |
Significance and next steps
- Validates the combustor design and the new facility, enabling full-scale flight-worthy combustor trials.
- Result of work by DRDO labs, industry and academia.
- Next: flight tests of complete cruise missile prototypes, moving India towards the group of nations with operational hypersonic weapons.
Exam angle
- Lab: DRDL (DRDO); test duration 1,000+ seconds.
- Hypersonic threshold: Mach 5.