Ram Accelerator

University of Washington

The ram accelerator is a novel launcher technology used to accelerate projectiles to hypersonic/hypervelocity speeds. It is theoretically capable of accelerating projectiles to velocities greater than 8 km/sec (18,000 mph). The device was developed in 1983 by researchers of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington and operates similarly to a ramjet engine. In the ram accelerator, a subcaliber projectile, shaped like the centerbody of a ramjet, is propelled down the center of a stationary tube that is filled with a premixed gaseous propellant. As the projectile travels through the tube, the mixture is compressed, combusted, and expanded to produce thrust. It has numerous applications that include researching hypersonic flows, missile defense systems, and cost effectively launching payloads into orbit around the earth. More detailed information about the ram accelerator's history and various research topics are available on these pages and the links to related research sites.

Layman's Description