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Military plans new hypersonic flight after failure

By Associated Press

POSTED:
LAST UPDATED: 12:20 p.m. HST, Oct 24, 2012

AP
In this July 17, 2009 photo provided by the U.S. Air Force, an X-51A WaveRider hypersonic flight test vehicle is uploaded to an Air Force Flight Test Center B-52 for fit testing at Edwards Air Force Base.

LOS ANGELES >> The U.S. military is planning a fourth unmanned hypersonic flight in the wake of a failed attempt.

The Air Force said Wednesday the test of an experimental X-51A Waverider will occur sometime next year. The aircraft is designed to reach six times the speed of sound after being released by a B-52 bomber.

Two months ago, a problem with a control fin during flight caused an X-51A to lose control and crash into the Pacific Ocean. It was the third X-51A test. An investigation ruled out software or power failures.

Boeing built four such vehicles for one-time use.

The purpose of the missions is to test so-called scramjet technology, which the military hopes could be used to deliver fast strikes around the world.






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Mythman wrote:
Did the Mighty, All Knowing, Great Kilo Barry Obama, who studied strategic issues at Punahou while taking classes in Choming, confer on these tests?
on October 24,2012 | 12:54PM
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