Scramjet Engines: The First Forty Years

Ageneralreviewoftheemergenceandmaturingofsupersoniccombustionramjet (scramjet)enginetechnologies overthelast 40 years is presented. The review isgiven in terms of theeffortscompleted or proceeding in theUnited States, Russia, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, and other countries. A brief account of the challenges of scramjet combustor development is given, and attention is directed toward other source references for more detailed accounts of technology evolution. Two emerging scramjet applications are identie ed, namely, hydrogenfueledhigh-speed engines foraccess to spaceand hydrocarbon-fueled enginesforhypersonicair-launched missiles.