Members of The University of Queensland-led HyShot team will attend the free UQ Study Expo and Open Day on Sunday, August 4 to share their experiences with the public.
They will also be available to answer questions about their first hand experiences of space and mechanical engineering at The University of Queensland.
Team members Dr Allan Paull (HyShot program leader), Dr Susan Anderson, Myles Frost, Suhee Won and Aggie Branczyk will be in the foyer of the new UQ Centre, Union Road, St Lucia between 9am and 4pm. They will also have rocket debris from the two HyShot flights (2001 and 2002) on display.
This week (July 30) there was a safe and successful launch of the Terrier Orion rockets carrying the HyShot scramjet at Woomera, 500km north of Adelaide.
Scramjets are air-breathing supersonic combustion ramjet engines. The HyShot engine is designed to travel at 8000km per hour, while a conventional jet plane flies at about 800km per hour.
While scramjets do raise the possibility of Sydney to London two hour flights, their main application will be the launch of small space payloads, such as communications satellites, by substantially lowering costs. They have the added benefit that they do not even have to carry most of their propellant as they use oxygen from the atmosphere.
The aim of the HyShot program is to provide the world’s first in-flight tests of scramjet technology, validating experiments held in ground test facilities.
A number of unique experiments, including nose cone eject and rotation of the craft to point in a new downwards trajectory, worked during the 2002 HyShot flight. The researchers are anxiously awaiting telemetry data to see if the scramjet achieved supersonic combustion in flight. They expect to receive valuable data early next week and will begin their analysis. They are hoping to have results within a month.
Dr Paull and Head of the School of Engineering Professor John Simmons will also give two public lectures during Study Expo on Sunday, August 4. The first is at 9.30am in the UQ Centre’s Lecture Theatre in Union Road, St Lucia. (Building 27A) The second is at 1.15pm in the Hawken Building, Lecture room 3. (Building 50).
Getting there: Free parking is available all day at the multi-level car parks at Sir Fred Schonell Drive. BCC buses (Route 412) will run express from Adelaide street to UQ every 15 minutes between 10am and 2pm. The Dutton Park Ferry will run between Dutton Park and UQ from 9am to 5pm. City Cats will operate between Hamilton and St Lucia from 6am to 10.30pm.
Media: Further information, Jan King 0413 601 248.
