How does a scramjet work?

Scramjet is a type of jet engine which allows speed up a plane to about 6 to 9 mach. Please explain the principle behind it and also explain whether AURORA is a dream or reality

How does a scramjet work?computers

One thing has always been true about rockets: The farther and faster you want to go, the bigger your rocket needs to be.

Why? Rockets combine a liquid fuel with liquid oxygen to create thrust. Take away the need for liquid oxygen and your spacecraft can be smaller or carry more payload.

That's the idea behind a different propulsion system called "scramjet," or Supersonic Combustion Ramjet: The oxygen needed by the engine to combust is taken from the atmosphere passing through the vehicle, instead of from a tank onboard. The craft becomes smaller, lighter and faster.

How does a scramjet work?hijack this

A ramjet engine is very powerful, but useless unless it is already moving very fast. It cannot accelerate itself from being stopped.

A turbine jet engine is the sort used on airliners.

A scramjet is a turbine mounted within a ramjet engine. The turbine is used to get the plane moving fast enough for the ramjet to operate. When this speed is reached, a set of flaps move to redirect air through the ramjet portion of the engine, and it takes over.

Basically, it's the best of both worlds.

The Aurora, or SR-91, is not real yet, as there has been no prototype built, nor has it been designed with sufficient detail to build a prototype. It is possible they'll develop it though.