Flying from seven to ten times the speed of sound, using air-breathing
scramjet engines instead of traditional rocket power, the smaller,
12-foot-long X-43 could represent a major leap forward in the goal of
providing faster, more reliable and less expensive access to space.
The NASA Hyper-X Program’s development and testing of the Hyper-X vehicle is
conducted jointly by NASA Langley and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center,
Edwards, Calif. Langley is NASA’s lead center for hypersonic technology
development; Dryden will flight test the scramjet in late May or early June.
On Wednesday, April 18, at 1 p.m., EDT, NASA will conduct a press briefing
from Dryden featuring Vince Rausch, NASA Langley Hyper-X program manager.
Rausch and other project officials will outline plans for upcoming X-43
flights and the Hyper-X program.
The briefing will be carried live on NASA TV with two-way
question-and-answer capability for reporters covering the event at the NASA
Langley Newsroom. Also at Langley, interested media will have the
opportunity to interview senior Hyper-X officials and see a full-scale test
model with a working scramjet engine in the 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel.
The NASA Langley Newsroom is in Building 1202 on North Dryden Street.
Reporters will be met at the gate and provided with badges by a
representative of the Public Affairs Office.
The news briefing will be carried on NASA Television, which is available on
GE-2, transponder 9C, located at 85 degrees West longitude, with vertical
polarization. Frequency will be on 3880 MHz, with audio on 6.8 MHz.
