Scramjet engines are air-breathing propulsion systems capable of operating at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 and above), where traditional gas turbine engines are ineffective. Since 2005, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute has been conducting research on the design and testing of scramjet engines and combined cycle engines based on scramjet technology.
KARI has designed and fabricated various ground-test-scale models of scramjet and combined cycle engines optimized for flight speeds of Mach 5.0, 6.0, 6.7, and 7.6. These models have been tested and validated at both domestic and international facilities to verify their design technologies. KARI operates scramjet engine test facilities capable of conducting scaled engine model tests for several tens of seconds at Mach 3.5, 5.0, and 6.0 conditions. Additionally, it possesses supersonic combustor test equipment capable of testing engine combustor models for several minutes at Mach 2.0.
KARI has successfully demonstrated supersonic combustion using independently designed scramjet engines, including combustion using liquid hydrocarbon fuel and regenerative cooling techniques. These achievements mark Korea’s first successful demonstrations of scramjet combustion and are now being systematically developed for practical implementation in operational systems.