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Emergency expert needed: scramjets

athon

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For a journalism unit in my course, I need to do a feature story on a topic of my choice. As the scramjet trials were managed by the University of Queensland, it felt close to home so I chose to take an angle on that (looking at the impact the future of hypersonic flight will have on international travel).

I've got all the information I need and could easily write the article now... except we need to have quotes from a source. I've tracked down an associate professor who is in the HyShot scramjet team at UQ, but I guess he's too busy to answer an email I sent two days ago. I'm still trying to get a phone number, but in the meantime I'm sweating because the deadline is early next week. If I don't get the grabs I need, I might need to look elsewhere, hence time is short.

This is why I'm not a journo'. :)

As a possible back-up, does anybody here qualify as an 'expert' in hypersonic travel? I guess I'm asking more for impressive qualifications than answers; I need some nice little sound-bites - er, word-bites - to quote in an article that could possibly be published.

At this stage I might even be happy to change topics completely, so if anybody has some interesting work they think they'd like to see in a feature article, PM me.

Thanks.

Athon
 
I have a B.Sc. in Aeronautics. But I didn't specialise in hypersonics, and I don't work in the industry now.
 
Thanks Terry.

Obviously there was some Global Consciousness at work here. As I was typing this, he responded. I now have all questions answered, with some fantastic grabs for my story.

I was really panicking there for a moment.

Phew!

Athon
 
My qualifications consist entirely of ogling pictures of scramjets. Does that count?
 
Terry said:
I have a B.Sc. in Aeronautics. But I didn't specialise in hypersonics, and I don't work in the industry now.
Click to expand...

Ditto for me too... I vaguely remember something about them in my propulsion course. I only thing I really remember is that at the throat the speed is always Mach 1 in a nozzle (not necessarily a ramjet). Oh, and the speed of sound is pretty much just dependent on temperature.

I'm glad to see you got your answers... I was going to post a couple of cool links. Oh, I'll do it anyway:
http://www.aip.org/tip/INPHFA/vol-10/iss-4/p24.html
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scramjet
 
Thanks HC. The wiki one I've already committed to memory (well, feels like it after reading it ten times to understand the physics), the other one is pretty useful as well.

Now I just need to write the bloody thing.

Athon
 
Will they have a real impact on international travel, do you think? Or will they end up being like Concorde - beautiful machines but only really relevant for few people? Or are they going to be so fast that they'll be irresistable for airlines?

If they could get adequate range and cheap enough fares they'd do wonders for Australian tourism ;)
 
I am scramjet sensitive. Excessive amounts of overhead scramming upsets my nervous system causing me discomfort, worry, anxiety and to make excessive use of the color orange.

If these tests continue I will have to file a complaint and seek compensation.
 
Athon, I realize this is too little, too late, but I did the safety work to get a lab scale scramjet working at the USAF Propulsion Laboratory back in the late 80's (I assume it was funded by the NASP initiative). I could probably put you in contact with a few people there if you need it.
 
richardm said:
Will they have a real impact on international travel, do you think? Or will they end up being like Concorde - beautiful machines but only really relevant for few people? Or are they going to be so fast that they'll be irresistable for airlines?
Click to expand...

Concordes suffered from being a small fleet of old technology. Obviously economics will be scale dependent; if the demand increases, it will definitely grow out of being a strict niche market. However, in the meantime, there will always be a market for hypersonic travel regarldess of cost.

If they could get adequate range and cheap enough fares they'd do wonders for Australian tourism ;)
Click to expand...

Hell yeah. Across the globe in about two hours would be insane. However don't expect this to be common place within the next decade or so. I'm betting on travelling this way in my retirement years.

Athon
 
Mr. Skinny said:
Athon, I realize this is too little, too late, but I did the safety work to get a lab scale scramjet working at the USAF Propulsion Laboratory back in the late 80's (I assume it was funded by the NASP initiative). I could probably put you in contact with a few people there if you need it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Skinny. It's not worth a lot of marks, overall, but I'm sort of hoping to do a good enough job to get ABC online looking at it, or Australasian Science even. I seem to be ok for information at this point, but I might get you to read the final feature if I get around to finishing a decent draught early next week.

Athon
 
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