India's DRDO test fires hypersonic vehicle expected to fire futuristic missile systems

India on Monday successfully demonstrated the indigenously-developed Hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) at 1103 hours from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha.

The HSTDV, based on hypersonic propulsion technologies, has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The Hypersonic cruise vehicle was launched using a proven solid rocket motor, which took it to an altitude of 30 km, where the aerodynamic heat shields were separated at hypersonic Mach number. The cruise vehicle separated from the launch vehicle and the air intake opened as planned.

The hypersonic combustion sustained and the cruise vehicle continued on its desired flight path at a velocity of six times the speed of sound i.e. nearly 2 km/s for more than 20s. The critical events like fuel injection and auto ignition of scramjet demonstrated technological maturity. The scramjet engine performed in a text book manner. The parameters of launch and cruise vehicle, including scramjet engine was monitored by multiple tracking radars, electro-optical systems and Telemetry Stations. The scramjet engine worked at high dynamic pressure and at very high temperature. Ship was also deployed in the Bay of Bengal to monitor the performance during the cruise phase of hypersonic vehicle. All the performance parameters have indicated a resounding success of the mission.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO over the successful test flight of the HSTDV, calling it a "landmark achievement"

"I congratulate to DRDO on this landmark achievement towards realising PM’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. I spoke to the scientists associated with the project and congratulated them on this great achievement. India is proud of them," he tweeted.

A DRDO official said, with the successful test flight of the HSTDV, India has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for next-generation hypersonic vehicles in partnership with domestic defence industry.

"With this successful demonstration, many critical technologies such as aerodynamic configuration for Hypersonic manoeuvers, use of scramjet propulsion for ignition and sustained combustion at hypersonic flow, thermo-structural characterisation of high temperature materials, separation mechanism at hypersonic velocities have been proven," DRDO said in a statement.

The HSTDV powers cruise missiles and operates on scramjet engines which can attain the speed of around Mach 6 which is far better than ramjet engines,officials said.

Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO congratulated all the scientists and support staff for their contributions in proving highly complex air-breathing hypersonic technology. On this successful demonstration, the country enters into the Hypersonic regime paving way for advanced Hypersonic Vehicles.