AIR BREATHING PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out the second experimental flight for the demonstration of Air Breathing Propulsion Technology.

Air Breathing Propulsion Technology

• About: In this Technology, rockets carry fuel but not an onboard oxidizer, utilizing atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizer for combustion. This results in a lighter and more efficient rocket.
• Types of Air-Breathing Propulsion:

o Ramjet: Utilizes supersonic combustion and relies on the engine's forward motion to compress incoming air, lacking any rotators.

o Scramjet: An advanced version of the Ramjet that operates at hypersonic speeds (greater than Mach 5) and performs well at high speeds through supersonic airflow and combustion.

o Dual-Mode Ramjet (DMRJ): A versatile engine that transforms from a ramjet to a scramjet between Mach 4-8, capable of operating in both subsonic and supersonic combustor modes.

• Advantages: Results in a significantly lighter and more efficient rocket by utilizing atmospheric oxygen.
• Operational Limitations: Effective only within the Earth's denser atmosphere (up to 70 kilometers), after which a different propulsion stage with both fuel and oxidiser is needed.
• Technological Benefits: Lowers costs and improves payload fraction by eliminating the need to carry an oxidiser.
• India's Achievement: In 2023, India became the fourth country to successfully demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet Engine.

  Applications of Air-Breathing Propulsion System

  • Spaceplane: Can enter orbit or travel through space while taking off and landing like a conventional plane.
  • Missile: Used for hypersonic missile launchers.
  • Rockets: Employed for satellite launches into orbit.
  • Future Plans: ISRO aims to integrate air-breathing engines with a reusable launch vehicle.