Hypersonics Engineers

The majority of current hypersonics research is focused on developing offensive and defensive weapons. Hypersonic weapons can be used with both nuclear and conventional warheads. There are two categories of hypersonic weapons: hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) and hypersonic cruise missiles. “Hypersonic glide vehicles are launched from a rocket before gliding to a target,” according to the Congressional Research Service. “When HGVs are mated with their rocket booster, the resulting weapon system is often referred to as a hypersonic boost-glide weapon. Hypersonic cruise missiles are powered by high-speed engines throughout their flight.” Hypersonic missiles differ from traditional (or ballistics) missiles because they travel at extremely high speeds, are highly maneuverable in flight, and are much harder to detect than conventional weapons because of their flight trajectory. (Ballistics missiles can travel at hypersonic speeds, but lack other traits of hypersonics missiles.) Hypersonics research is also being conducted for use in nonmilitary applications such as civilian transport of cargo and passengers and spacecraft launch and retrieval.

Hypersonics engineers have a variety of duties based on their educational background and employer. Examples include designing, analyzing, developing, and testing hypersonic materials, components, and systems in order to ensure safe and predictable performance; designing and developing special scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) engines; performing hypervelocity impact testing on materials and structures to determine how they will endure impact from space dust and debris traveling at hypersonic speeds; and creating state-of-the-art avionics systems for hypersonics products. Some engineers design and build complex hypersonic test apparatus such as wind tunnels; others develop software that is used in testing and modeling. Some engineers develop missiles and other hypersonic weaponry, while others conduct research to develop surveillance systems and defensive weapons to stop these weapons. Still others perform research to apply hypersonics technology to space or commercial flights.

The typical engineer conducts research in his or her specialty (e.g., electronics, materials) and develops hypotheses and designs (using computer-aided design software and advanced artificial intelligence). They conduct tests using computational fluid dynamics modeling software, high-tech wind tunnels, and, in some cases, via actual physical launches of the technology. Engineers identify and resolve test anomalies and troubleshoot any other issues that arise. They work as a member of a team to revise and test the design until a finished product is approved.