China’s hypersonic glide vehicle test                                                       

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Context: A report in the London-based Financial Times, says China in August tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle that circled the globe before speeding towards its target.

• Hypersonic speeds are 5 or more times the speed of sound.

The significance

• The weapon could, in theory, fly over the South Pole. It would pose a big challenge for the US military because its missile defence systems are focused on the northern polar route.
• The US, Russia and China are all developing hypersonic weapons, including glide vehicles that are launched into space on a rocket but orbit the earth under their own momentum.
• India’s DRDO tested a hypersonic vehicle last year.
• Most of the hypersonic vehicles primarily use the scramjet technology.
  • Scramjets are a category of engines designed to handle airflows of speeds in multiples of the speed of sound.

Implications for India

• This test by China certainly needs to be watched closely by the world, especially India considering relations with China in the recent past.
• It also highlight the threat for our space assets along with the surface assets. The offence system operating at these speeds would mean requirement to develop defence systems at these speeds.
• Hypersonic technology has been developed and tested by both DRDO and ISRO.
• DRDO successfully flight-tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), with a capability to travel at 6 times the speed of sound.
• A solid rocket motor of Agni missile took it to an altitude of 30 km where the cruise vehicle separated as planned.
• The hypersonic combustion sustained and the cruise vehicle continued on its desired flight path at a velocity of six times the speed of sound for more than 20 seconds.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/chinas-hypersonic-glide-vehicle-test-7577005/