Fastest jet in the world? Engine advancement question...?

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Phil S

New member
I've been reading about the X51 Waverider going mach 6...but didn't the X15 go mach 6.72 back in 1968 or so? Also, didn't the X43 do mach 9.8 in 2004? I'm trying to figure out why the X51 is such an advancement. Thanks!
 
The Waverider was hypersonic for 200 seconds with Scramjet, that is an advancement. It is not about top speed, it was more about sustaining hypersonic velocity and enduring the stress of hypersonic flight. The X-43 had its scramjets running for about 10 seconds, the X-51 had it 20 times more.

That is an advancement.
 
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