China announced the successful test of a hypersonic vehicle that travels twice as fast as previous models. The vehicle, called “Dongfeng-17”, is capable of flying at a speed of Mach 6, that is, six times the speed of sound. The vehicle was reportedly launched from a location in northwest China and traveled through the atmosphere for more than 20 minutes before landing at a designated location.
Hypersonic technology allows vehicles to travel at speeds much faster than conventional aircraft, and is believed to have the potential to revolutionize transportation and defense. Hypersonic vehicles can also get around traditional missile defense systems, making them especially attractive to the military.
The Dongfeng-17 test has been seen by many experts as a major technological achievement for China. The country has invested enormous resources in the research and development of hypersonic technology in recent years, and has made several significant advances in this field. In fact, the Dongfeng-17 test suggests that China may be at the forefront of hypersonic technology today.
Although the Dongfeng-17 test announcement has been greeted with enthusiasm in some circles, it has raised concerns among others as well. Many experts fear that hypersonic technology has the potential to upset the strategic balance between world powers. There are also fears that advances in hypersonic technology could lead to a new arms race between countries like China, Russia and the United States.
How the propulsion system works
The specified propulsion system is based on the use of a solid boron fuel, which is burned in a combustion chamber to generate power.
System works this way:
1 – Solid boron fuel is stored in a tank on the vehicle. The fuel is a mixture of boron and polymer, which makes it solid and stable at room temperature.
2 – When the engine is activated, a spark is introduced into the combustion chamber, causing the boron fuel to burn.
3 – Solid boron fuel burns quickly, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of heat and gas. The hot gas generated by the combustion is ejected through a nozzle, providing the necessary force to propel the vehicle forward.
This fuel is highly energetic and provides greater energy efficiency than other fuels used in hypersonic propulsion systems, making this propulsion system especially attractive for military and civil applications requiring hypersonic speeds.
