Chimera Completes Ground Testing – Heads to Hypersonic Facility for Next Tests
June 7, 2022
Check out this footage from a recent Chimera test:
What you’re looking at is Chimera, our proprietary Mach 5 engine firing its afterburner at our test facility in Atlanta. This test marked the final phase in our “sea-level static” testing campaign proving that we can run Chimera at full throttle on the ground.
But our Quarterhorse aircraft will be flying above 80,000 ft and will encounter very hot temperatures. So now we’re on to our next round of testing at Notre Dame’s Turbomachinery Laboratory.
Notre Dame Turbomachinery Laboratory
At this facility we can simulate flight-like pressures and temperatures by directly connecting to their supply of heated air.
Chimera is a turbine-based combined cycle engine – which basically means it’s a hybrid of a turbojet and a ramjet. The main goal here is to demonstrate a successful transition between the two modes of operation.
The lessons we learn from this phase of the development program will inform upgrades for the next iteration of Chimera.
ABOUT HERMEUS
Hermeus is a high-speed aircraft manufacturer focused on the rapid design, build, and test of high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft for the national interest. Working directly with the Department of Defense, Hermeus delivers capabilities that will ensure that our nation, and our allies, maintain an asymmetric advantage over any and all potential adversaries.
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Find additional photos on Unsplash.
Find 4K footage for download on Vimeo.