The University's Centre for Hypersonics in the Mechanical Engineering Department will launch two Terrior Orion rockets fitted with hypersonic air-breathing engine (scramjet) experiments at Woomera, 500km north of Adelaide, planned for June 2000.

The rockets will reach speeds of 8600km/hour. The immediate use of the flight data will be to correlate it with measurements obtained from the University's T4 shock tunnel, one of the few wind tunnels in the world which can test at earth orbital speeds.

However, the flight data will have wider use because it will be possible to use this information as general benchmark data for supersonic combustion.

Benchmark data can be used for not only verifying wind tunnel tests, but can also be used to validate computer simulations. By combining wind tunnel testing with computer simulations engineers have the tools to do much of the initial work to develop airbreathing engines, allowing a reduction in the number of expensive flight tests. Such is the importance of the data, that the project has attracted support from as far afield as the UK, USA and Germany.

Professor Hay said it was appropriate that Australia's 1998-99 University of the Year had instigated, and would lead the project, known as the HyShot Program, to retain Australia's position at the forefront of hypersonic technological research.

"The objectives of the HyShot program can be equated to breaking the sound barrier in flight, but for HyShot, it will be the combustion sound barrier that is broken," Professor Hay said.

The HyShot program will use the rockets to propel scramjet experiments to a height of 350km above the Earth. On re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, University scientists will measure the pressure rise produced in scramjet combustors from burning hydrogen injected at the entrance to the combustor. Tests will be made at speeds of approximately 8600km/hour and at altitudes between 35 and 23kms before the rockets crash to earth.

Data will be captured from a radio signal transmitted from the rockets. In addition, a computer package fitted as part of the payload will record the data and be ejected before impact. Ground teams will then recover this backup of the flight data from an impact site 130km from the launch site.

The $1 million program is supported by an international consortium presently including The University of Queensland, U.S. firm Astrotech Space Operations, DERA (The UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency), NASA Langley Research Center, The DSTO (Dept. of Science and Technology, Australia), the DLR (German Aerospace Center) and Australian Space Research Institute (ASRI). Australian firms, Alesi Technologies, AECA, Luxfer Aust. and British Aerospace Australia will assist by providing operational and logistic support.

Funding has also been secured from the Dept of Industry, Science and Resources and assistance and support has been obtained from the Ministry of Defence. HyShot research team leader and senior research fellow, Dr Paull, said the HyShot program had been made possible though the assistance and co-operation of the contributing parties and the assistance in-kind which has been obtained.

"The turning point in the program's development was when U.S. company Astrotech Space Operations (ASO), approached us and offered the rocket motors and launch support at no cost to The University of Queensland," said Paull.

Astrotech has served the commercial space industry by processing over 100 payloads during the past 15 years. Astrotech's original intention was to demonstrate a sounding rocket capability that could be made available to Pacific Rim countries on an inexpensive commercial basis to both industry and the academia.

During a fact finding trip to Australia in October 1997 Astrotech was put in touch with The University of Queensland to flight test an experimental configuration which had been tested in the University's T4 shock tunnel. The HyShot program will demonstrate ASO's suborbital rocket capabilities to the Pacific Rim countries in addition to providing valuable support to the University of Queensland's scramjet technology program.

"Other consortium partners will combine their expertise with the UQ researchers to help design the many components which will be needed for the tests.

In particular, DERA will be undertaking experimentation in their wind tunnels to help determine the stability of the rockets with the scramjet payload on re-entry and are also contributing to the design of the payload, the DSTO has provided their expertise on trajectories and extensive telemetry assistance, NASA has provided assistance with materials, designs and procedures and the DLR (German Aerospace Center), who are seeking to stimulate their efforts in developing these engines with the aid of their HEG shock tunnel and computer simulations, have undertaken computer simulations to help determine the heating loads on the payload. All essential for a successful mission" added Dr Paull. For the past 16 years The University of Queensland has been developing scramjets with funding from Australian, U.S., Japanese and German sources. Development has been possible through the use of the T4 shock tunnel designed by Australia's first professor of space engineering at the University of Queensland, Emeritus Professor Ray Stalker.

The UQ scramjet activities took a new direction when, Dr Paull, with Emeritus Professor Stalker and Dr Mee in 1993, "flew" a complete scramjet prototype in the T4 shock tunnel and showed that it was possible to generate more thrust than drag with these engines - the essence of any propulsion system.

These activities have provided opportunities for 38 postgraduates, three Australian Research Council fellows and many undergraduates, and continues to provide a platform for international collaboration and exchange. Professor Hay said although extensive in-house testing had been performed, no field tests were possible until now to correlate data. Such correlation is an important stepping stone to maintain hypersonic technology development, and to further develop scramjet technology.

"Its objectives are first and foremost scientific. Successful HyShot flights will be a major engineering achievement. And even though the goals are far more reaching, just getting the payload to the launch pad will be an achievement and a well worthwhile exercise in itself. Its undertaking has provided an arena for greater international collaboration, and has involved student and staff participation at all levels in an interesting and exciting project". He said that a successful outcome from the HyShot program would mean that the University of Queensland would be the only institutions in the world that had undertaken extensive scramjet testing and now had a shock tunnels calibrated against flight for supersonic combustion.

"It will also be the only university in the world to undertake such a challenging experimental program in hypersonics," he said. "The correlation between supersonic combustion in flight and that observed in a wind tunnel will be unique, and of major significance from a scientific standpoint".

"The HyShot program will open new, but related fields of research in hypersonics for UQ researchers with a minimum of 18 research topics arising from the program this year for all levels of staff and students in the University's Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, and Physics.

"The program, coupled with the University's existing extensive scramjet and instrumentation development in T4, gives the University and an important edge by positioning them to take advantage of the current resurgence of hypersonic propulsion and flight.

"In particular, the University will be in a superior position to provide test and evaluation services, and to enter into collaborative research of forthcoming hypersonic programs. The project has enhance bilateral and multilateral co-operation between Australia and other countries involved in the development of hypersonic technology."

"The HyShot program will add significant strength to the scramjet development currently being pursued in the University's T4 wind tunnel located in its Centre for Hypersonics. It is a project initiated by the Centre for Hypersonics and supported by the University and other national and international institutions.