Chinese Hypersonic Aircraft - Mach 6.56!?

[Astronuc]

Scientists in China have announced that a jumbo jet prototype built by them had managed to reach hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 and above) during a flight test.

The scientists claim that the aircraft prototype with a rather bulky body reached the speed of Mach 6.56 (5,033 miles per hour approximately) during the test flight in 2021.

The test flight results had been kept a secret by the institute and authorities in China owing to the sensitivity of the project.

It was revealed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences through a post on social media in which they shared a video of the jumbo jet prototype’s lift-off. The post also contained a speech by Cui Kai, the project’s leader and a researcher at the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-hypersonic-jet-flies-blazing-103603904.html
https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/china-hypersonic-aircraft-mach-6-flight-test

Apparently, it has a name - Yunxing Hypersonic Jet


https://www.aviationpros.com/aircra...ghts-with-plans-for-concorde-beating-aircraft

 

[Flyboy]

“However, Cui or the Chinese Academy of Sciences did not reveal whether a full-scale model of the aircraft has been constructed, is under construction, or the time period for its first flight.

Cui is quoted as saying in the report that the team still faces multiple challenges that need to be addressed directly – “including issues related to power, materials and structure.””

In other words, they made a subscale demonstrator and proved it could reach that speed. Being able to scale up the design, and maintaining the speed long enough to be useful? That’s the unresolved challenge.
I suspect that whatever they flew cannot sustain that speed for anything close to a representative time, or even one to allow the airframe to undergo heat soak.

Tl;dr: Hypersonic hype is easy. Practical hypersonic is hard.

 

[Baluncore]

There is no way that the "artists impression" shown in the article could be supersonic, well, except in the ionosphere, or space.

China has had a bad run, of military failures in the news lately. Maybe this is supposed to compensate, to make China appear great again.

 

[FactChecker]

In other words, they made a subscale demonstrator and proved it could reach that speed.

I agree with everything in your post except for this. I don't know what type of "proof" they could have when they do not have the engine, materials, or structure figured out. I am especially skeptical of China's jet engine technology.

 

[Lnewqban]

I believed that we were moving away from burning more and more kerosene.

Copied from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy_in_aircraft#Future

"Concorde, a supersonic transport, managed about 17 passenger-miles to the Imperial gallon, which is 16.7 L/100 km per passenger; similar to a business jet, but much worse than a subsonic turbofan aircraft. Airbus states a fuel rate consumption of their A380 at less than 3 L/100 km per passenger (78 passenger-miles per US gallon).
Newer aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 and Bombardier C Series, are 20% more fuel efficient per passenger kilometer than previous generation aircraft."

 

[Flyboy]

I’m not convinced of that. We may switch to a synthetic equivalent/replacement from renewable feedstocks, but a pound of Jet-A1 is still one of the best fuels for aviation use. Liquid at ramp temperature and at cruise, excellent energy density, great thermal performance as a coolant if needed, doesn’t need pressure tanks… and it leaves minimal deposits on turbine blades.

 

[Flyboy]

Okay, this is closer to a real Mach 6+ airframe, if subscale.

https://www.twz.com/air/china-launches-hypersonic-planes-from-drones-balloons