Experimental U.S. hypersonic weapon explodes during flight test

[gambit]

I doubt that. The Chinese already have the lead in this tech. They will deploy it much earlier than US.

There is no reason to believe China is technologically 'ahead' of US about this. Not based upon a few accidents or the numbers of successful launches.

All test launches are rigged tests. Anyone whoever worked in R/D and/or manufacturing know this fact. For missile testings, most launches are destructive tests, meaning the launch vehicle and the load are usually destroyed in the mission. That means each test launch must be selective in what kind of data are we looking for. So the number of successful launches alone are no guaranteed indicators of being 'ahead' of the competition. For all we know, the American version is advanced enough that ours requires less test launches than the Chinese version in order to certify deployment.

This mishap seems to be more related to the rocket than for the test weapon itself. The fact that the launch was aborted a few seconds after lift off means the safety mechanisms were better than excellent. Either it auto-destruct based upon certain launch data, or the system was sophisticated enough to inform Control that the entire vehicle was heading towards uncontrolled flight and the human operator reacted appropriately. How a test launch failed and the response mechanisms are just as indicative of the sophistication of the program as successful launches.

 

[F-22Raptor]

I doubt that. The Chinese already have the lead in this tech. They will deploy it much earlier than US.

China has a lead? Based on what? Their recent glide vehicle test failed. Again, the US is the only country to successfully test both a hypersonic glide vehicle and air breathing scramjet. US research in hypersonics dates back to the Cold War, with multiple test programs as evidence.

 

[patriotpakistan]

There is no reason to believe China is technologically 'ahead' of US about this. Not based upon a few accidents or the numbers of successful launches.

All test launches are rigged tests. Anyone whoever worked in R/D and/or manufacturing know this fact. For missile testings, most launches are destructive tests, meaning the launch vehicle and the load are usually destroyed in the mission. That means each test launch must be selective in what kind of data are we looking for. So the number of successful launches alone are no guaranteed indicators of being 'ahead' of the competition. For all we know, the American version is advanced enough that ours requires less test launches than the Chinese version in order to certify deployment.

This mishap seems to be more related to the rocket than for the test weapon itself. The fact that the launch was aborted a few seconds after lift off means the safety mechanisms were better than excellent. Either it auto-destruct based upon certain launch data, or the system was sophisticated enough to inform Control that the entire vehicle was heading towards uncontrolled flight and the human operator reacted appropriately. How a test launch failed and the response mechanisms are just as indicative of the sophistication of the program as successful launches.

Yes failures are no indication of the progress of the program at all...

 

[gambit]

Any novel concept would have failures, initially. When rockets were first constructed, they resulted in spectacular failures in beginning but eventually they have become safer than Cars now.

Only way to avoid failure is not to try anything new and buy tested technologies. In that case you would have close to zero failure.

In his universe, everything is perfect. No wonder why not even the microwave oven can come from his part of the world and must come from those who tried and failed and tried over and over again.

 

[patriotpakistan]

In his universe, everything is perfect. No wonder why not even the microwave oven can come from his part of the world and must come from those who tried and failed and tried over and over again.

Except that your country failed and China succeeded...

 

[gambit]

Except that your country failed and China succeeded...

I thought you might be 12 yrs old, but am willing to be generous and say 15 yrs. old.

 

[patriotpakistan]

I thought you might be 12 yrs old, but am willing to be generous and say 15 yrs. old.

I am also willing to conceed that you are likely a USA! USA! chanting fanboy.

 

[F-22Raptor]

Except that your country failed and China succeeded...

What has China done in the field of hypersonics that the US hasn't? I'll save you the trouble....nothing.

 

[gambit]

What has China done in the field of hypersonics that the US hasn't? I'll save you the trouble....nothing.

China have clueless Pakistanis cheering for them.

 

[JSCh]

Talk of Closing Kodiak Launch Is Premature, Exec Says | Alaska Public Media
By Jay Barrett, KMXT - Kodiak | August 26, 2014 - 8:59 am
This is an update to a previous story: “Experimental Rocket Explodes After Launch at Kodiak”

In the aftermath of yesterday morning’s rocket explosion at the Kodiak Launch Complex, calls for the facility’s closure have resumed. Never universally popular among Kodiak residents, the KLC has had only one launch in the past three years, yesterday’s, and that blew up, causing what appears to be significant damage to the launch tower and assembly buildings.

 

[JSCh]

 

[JSCh]

 

[BuddhaPalm]

^ Wow, the same experiment yielded both hypersonic vehicle flight data and warhead impact damage data

Americans are geniuses. China can never catch up to such a high IQ nation.