Our dreams of again flying commercially at supersonic speeds have received another big boost. Namely, after “Space Transportation,” which also goes by the name Beijing Lingkong Tianxing Technology, tested a commercial aircraft at Mach 4 (3,000+ mph), the Chinese company now makes new waves with the advanced JinDou400 ramjet detonation engine. This engine should provide higher fuel efficiency than regular turbines, which is one of the most important aspects for the next wave of commercial supersonic aircraft.
Ramjet detonation engines use supersonic shockwaves (detonations) to compress and ignite fuel, allowing for faster and more powerful explosions. They are particularly efficient at velocities higher than Mach 4, making them ideal for hypersonic aircraft and missiles. Also, ramjet detonation engines don’t have the standard compressor and turbine components, resulting in a more compact design. Even so, ramjet detonation engines are louder, and can’t be used for taking off and landing, because of their inefficiency at lower speeds.
It will be interesting to see how the company tackles these issues. “Space Transportation” tested the JinDou400 prototype on a special rocket, though the engine is destined for the Yunxing supersonic passenger plane, which should have VTOL capabilities to aid the ramjet detonation engines. Powering the rocket, JinDou400 easily achieved higher velocities than Mach 3, which is not entirely surprising.
Still, according to reports, the engine is around 10-ft (3 meters) long and 12 inches (0.3 meters) wide, while generating 882 lbf of thrust (400 kgf), which is impressive for its size. This would make it an ideal candidate for a supersonic aircraft, where size and weight are of particular importance.
“Beijing Lingkong Tianxing Technology” wants to have a fully functional supersonic commercial aircraft ready to hit the skies by 2027. The company also works on “rockets with wings,” called Tianxing 1 and Tianxing 2, which should offer an even faster transportation of passengers by flying much higher than regular planes.
