Robert J. Collier Trophy Nominee:

X-51A WaveRider

“X-51A WaveRider Team for demonstrating that sustained supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) powered flight is possible and significantly advancing progress towards hypersonic power projection, responsive and affordable space access, and global

hypersonic mobility.”

Hypersonic Transport

Human Mobility Since 1800

6

60

600

6,000

1800 1900 2000 2100

… We Are On a Trajectory to Enter the 22nd Century at

6,000 mph …

Horse

Train

Jetliner

MP

H

Steam

Turbofan

Scramjet

2

3

Where Scramjets Fit

Mach 0 Mach 5 Mach 10

Speed

4000

1000

Turbojets

Scramjets

RamjetsEff

icie

ncy

Spe

cific

Im

puls

e (I

sp-s

ec)

0

Efficient use of fuel versus speed

Rockets

4

How a Scramjet Works

– Compress flow

– Pre-combustion airflow stability

– Supersonic air and fuel ignite, creating pressure

– Expands flow to generate thrust

Thermal Control – JP-7 fuel cools engine, improves combustion

Forebody & Inlet

Isolator

Combustor

Nozzle

Simplicity + Speed

Forebody & Inlet Isolator Combustor Nozzle

Fuel Injection

Thrust

Supersonic Internal Flow

5

X-51A WaveRider Design

Conventional Materials

High Mach Thermal Protection

Fuel-cooled Scramjet Engine

Autonomous Precision Guidance

Light Weight Structures

Off The Shelf Booster

An Integrated Aerospace Vehicle

6

X-51A Met All Its Objectives

Flight test of a scramjet engine

Used hydrocarbon fuel

Ignited engine and operated to fuel depletion

Accelerated; showing thrust greater than drag

Demonstrated flight viability of engine

Acquired extensive ground and flight data

Proved the practicality of a scramjet powered vehicle

“The X-51 took the field from a speculative science to practical engineering” Gen Mark Welsh, Chief of Staff, USAF

X-51A Flight Profile

Altitude ~ 60Kft

Separate

Off

Boost

Run

Range = 240 nm7

Flight 4 Data – 1 May 2013

Total Flight Time 448.0 sec

Boosted Flight 31.0 sec

Engine Start 12.0 sec

Scramjet Run Time212.0 sec

Descent 193.0 sec

Max Speed Mach 5.1

Max Altitude 63,500 ft

Distance 240.6 nm

8

Autonomy and Accuracy

-129 -127 -125 -123 -121 -119

32

34

36

38

Longitude (deg)

La

titu

de

(d

eg

)

California

Los Angeles

9

Accelerate To Fuel DepletionM

ac

h N

um

ber

Mission Time (sec)

0.8448

Flight 4: Mach Versus Time

0

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5.0

5.2

5.4

50 100 150 200 250

ManeuveringEvaluation

Separation

Fuel Control Test

Fuel Depletion

10

Ground and Flight Test Fidelity

70

75

80

110

85

90

95

100

105

60 sec 100 sec 215 sec 235 sec

Flig

ht

to G

rou

nd

Th

rus

t C

orr

ela

tio

n –

%

Mission Time Since Launch

Flight 4

11

X-51A WaveRider In Action

100% American Designed, Manufactured, and Flown!

12

X-51A Accomplishments

• First proven practical reusable scramjet engine

• Demonstrated sustained scramjet acceleration & thrust

• First to burn a conventional storable hydrocarbon fuel

• Demonstrated fully autonomous precision guided flight

• World’s first thermally balanced scramjet engine

X-51A Success Kick Started Follow-On Funded Programs

2010

2030

2060

X-51A

Hypersonic Vehicles

Large Hypersonic Missiles/Small Launch Systems

OperationallyResponsive Spacelift

Scramjet Flight Begins Now…

13

SCRAMJET ENGINE TECHNOLOGY

“Playing safe is probably the most unsafe thing in the world. You cannot stand still. You must go forward.” Robert J. Collier

14

“X-51A WaveRider Team for demonstrating that sustained supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) powered flight is

possible and significantly advancing progress towards hypersonic power projection, responsive

and affordable space access, and global hypersonic mobility.”

X-51A WaveRider