A satellite internet startup from China is willing to support the country's research about hypersonic drones and aircraft. Galaxy Space will lend its technology to support the hypersonic vehicle program.
Galaxy Space Will Provide Broadband for China's Hypersonic Vehicle Program
Beijing-based Galaxy Space, established in 2016, aims to establish a private constellation of broadband satellites. However, the business is currently attempting to offer services for military applications, according to South China Morning Post.
In March 2022, the company launched six test satellites, demonstrating the capability to deliver broadband access to terminals on the ground.
A further test noted in a recent journal paper says that the corporation managed uninterrupted bidirectional data transfer between six Galaxy Space satellites and a fast-moving terminal for around 25 minutes, according to SCMP.
Although more testing, development, and verification are required, the researchers conclude that the results indicate Galaxy Space's technology may be able to offer broadband connectivity to hypersonic drones or aircraft moving at speeds of up to Mach 25. (Mach 1 is the speed of sound, or around 767 mph, or 1,234 kph, at sea level.) "Hypersonic" is a term used to describe Mach 5 or above speeds.
The Chinese government's plan to create a 13,000-satellite national constellation as a response to constellations established by SpaceX and OneWeb has crushed Galaxy Space's initial aim of developing its broadband constellation.
Galaxy Space reportedly received further finance in September last year, valuing the company at $1.58 billion.
The Beijing-based company GalaxySpace was established in 2016 with headquarters in Beijing, China. The company produces 5G satellites and offers broadband networks and services, according to CB Insights.
There are solutions like "Galaxy-I"- Broadband Communication Satellite, Galaxy Space User Terminals, Galaxy Space 5G satellite communication convergence solution, Galaxy Space AI series solutions, and Galaxy Space big data application series solutions.
ALSO READ: SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launches Viasat-3 Americas Successfully From Kennedy Space Center
What Are Hypersonic Vehicles?
A vehicle that exceeds Mach 4 or travels at least four times the speed of sound is called a hypersonic vehicle. An aircraft, missile, or spacecraft can all be considered hypersonic vehicles, according to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Supersonic Combustion Ramjet or scramjet jet engines are used by some hypersonic aircraft to travel through the atmosphere. Rocket engines are occasionally utilized by hypersonic aircraft.
Another kind of hypersonic vehicle is a re-entry vehicle. Usually without an engine, a re-entry vehicle is a spacecraft that travels through space before entering a planet's atmosphere.
The unique feature of a scramjet engine is that the air passing through it never travels at speeds lower than Mach 1! These jet engines use rotating components to circulate air inside the engine. A scramjet engine only functions when the plane is flying quickly and has no moving parts. Ensuring that the fuel will burn extremely fast to produce thrust makes constructing a scramjet engine challenging. The engine occupies the entire bottom of the aircraft! Shock waves are utilized to compress or squeeze the air in the region under the nose.
RELATED ARTICLE: NASA's DART Spacecraft Worked! Asteroid Killer Changed the Harmless Space Rock's Orbit More Than Expected
Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
