A test flight of an experimental aircraft capable of speeding through air at 20 times the speed of sound ended prematurely Thursday morning when the arrowhead-shaped plane failed and stopped sending back real-time data to engineers and scientists who were moderating the mission.
After reaching an undisclosed sub-orbital altitude, the aircraft jettisoned from its protective cover atop the rocket, then nose-dived back toward Earth, leveled out and began to glide above the Pacific at 20 times the speed of sound, or Mach 20.
Then the trouble began.
Science do not yet know how to achieve the desired aerodynamic control during the phase of return to atmosphere in high velocity flight.
High-Mach flight in the atmosphere is virtually uncharted territory.
Links:
Test of hypersonic aircraft fails over Pacific Ocean
