Deal signed with US to study hypersonics

[Guest Glenn]

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20 ... 02,00.html

 

THE Australian defence department and the US air force have signed a multimillion-dollar deal for further research into hypersonic flight.Hypersonics is the study of velocities five times greater than the speed of sound.

 

The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) project is said to be worth $US54 million ($70 million) and is one of the largest collaborative ventures between Australia and the US.

 

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) will lead the project in Australia, but experts from the universities of Queensland and NSW also will play roles.

 

Scientists hope hypersonics might one day produce a low cost method of transporting large cargoes into space.