The world’s first oblique detonation engine (ODE) powered by standard aviation kerosene has been successfully tested by Chinese scientists, marking a potential game-changer in hypersonic propulsion that could redefine the limits of air and space travel.
In a series of groundbreaking experiments at Beijing’s JF-12 shock tunnel, which simulates high-Mach flight conditions in altitudes of over 40km (25 miles), researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) achieved sustained oblique detonation waves using RP-3 jet fuel, a common commercial kerosene.
