The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) released a video revealing a remarkable achievement in the field of hypersonic flight. Accordingly, a drone of the MD series of this country was launched from a near-space position by a balloon, reaching a speed of Mach 7 (7 times the speed of sound - 8,643 km/h) before landing safely for reuse.
Video of China testing MD hypersonic UAV. (Source: SCMP)
The video also details the testing of the MD series and the developers behind it. The team from the Institute of Mechanics (IMECH) of CAS, known as the “Qian Xuesen Young Scientific Mission Team”, was the same expert who achieved the first horizontal landing of a hypersonic UAV in 2020.
Hypersonic flight is an area of intense global strategic competition in advanced aerospace technology.
The MD-22 - the latest model in this aircraft line - was first introduced at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022. This aircraft has a maximum range of 8,000 km and can carry a payload of up to 600 kg, providing significant strategic capabilities.
China's MD-22 UAV makes its debut at the 2022 Zhuhai Airshow. (Photo: SCMP)
The concept of near-space hypersonic flight was first proposed by scientist Qian Xuesen, who is considered the “father” of China’s space program. He envisioned aircraft that could operate in the space between conventional aircraft and satellites, requiring mid-air launch to maximize maneuverability.
Flight tests of the MD series — dubbed “long-range vehicles” — have demonstrated efficient performance at both high and low speeds, according to the team. “We aim for the best. Although our ideas are futuristic, they are theoretically feasible,” IMECH engineer Li Wenhao said in the video.
The challenging development process has seen more than 30 design tweaks to optimize models and improve testing. In 2020, an initial test failed due to a parachute deploying too early. In May 2021, a second test attempt was aborted due to bad weather in the Gobi Desert.
After refining theoretical models and upgrading field testing procedures, the team successfully completed the third flight test in November 2021, which included the recovery of the MD-21 prototype aircraft.
“The flight trajectory is very complicated – first dive, then fly up and come back. This generation of aircraft is more challenging than previous generations,” said engineer Li Wenhao.
Chinese scientists conducted many test flights to refine the design and improve the efficiency of the MD UAV line. (Photo: SCMP)
Founded in 2018, the research team is a multidisciplinary team of experts, all in their 20s and 30s. It is also where scientist Qian Xuesen founded IMECH decades ago and laid the foundation for China's aerospace research.
The team successfully conducted nine test flights with five different test models. The reusable aircraft achieved autonomous horizontal landing without propulsion, significantly expanding the operational limits of reusable aerospace vehicles.
“We are now developing a new generation of aircraft to make long-range hypersonic vehicles faster and more efficient,” said Associate Professor Liu Wen of IMECH.
China invests in innovative research to lay the foundation for breakthroughs in science and technology.
Since 2021, CAS has established 188 research groups named after pioneering scientists such as Qian Xuesen. These groups aim to solve scientific challenges and achieve significant breakthroughs in basic science and technology.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/trung-quoc-lan-dau-cong-bo-video-thu-nghiem-uav-sieu-thanh-ar914501.html
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