India Becomes 4th Nation After US, China & Russia To Successfully Test Fire Hypersonic Vehicle

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.

(Image: Videograb/ @DefenceMinIndia)

New Delhi: India on Monday became fourth nation after United States, China and Russia to successfully develop and test hypersonic technology from APJ Abdul Kalam testing range (Wheeler Island) in Balasore, Odisha. Accordin to reports, the test of Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) was conducted at 1103 hours using the Agni missile booster. ALSO READ | The HSTDV has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the test lasted for around five minutes. With the successful test, DRDO will now have the capacity to build hypersonic missiles with scramjet engine in next five years. 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.

#WATCH DRDO‘s successful demonstration of the Hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology with the flight test of Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle, at 1103 hours today from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha pic.twitter.com/aC1phjusDH

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2020

The test was led by DRDO chief Satheesh Reddy and his hypersonic missile team. Soon after the test, DRDO said that the HSTDV performed on all parametres, including combustion chamber pressure, air intake and control guidance. Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO soon after after the test and praised their efforts to indigenously build a scramjet engine. Singh also said that it is a landmark achievement towards realising the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

The @DRDO_India has today successfully flight tested the Hypersonic Technology Demontrator Vehicle using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system. With this success, all critical technologies are now established to progress to the next phase.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 7, 2020

“I congratulate to DRDO on this landmark achievement towards realising the Prime Minister’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,” the defence minister said in another tweet. 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.