The Indian Space Research Organisation on Sunday test-fired the Supersonic Combustion Ramjet or scramjet engine, which will compress atmospheric oxygen while traditional engines carry their own fuel and oxidisers. The engine will be used in the launch of the next weather satellite, INSAT-3DR, reported NDTV. India is the fourth country in the world to develop such an engine.
The indigenously-developed engine uses an air-breathing propulsion system technology that compresses atmospheric oxygen after the rocket is launched. Oxygen is required to act as an oxidiser to burn fuel that is carried. The scramjet engine will reduce the cost, and weight, of the INSAT-3DR that is expected to be launched some time in September. ISRO had earlier tested such an engine in 2006.
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