Tests of the first American hypersonic missile ended in failure

The first and certainly long-awaited test of a US Air Force hypersonic missile ended in failure. The launch vehicle failed to launch from the B-52H Stratofortress bomber. Another test flight, which took place on April 5, 2021, over California airspace, ended with the plane returning to base with a rocket attached.

Failed test

Testing the AGM-183A rocket was supposed to be the first time that the rocket was to be launched from a B-52H with a workable booster. The thing is that the previous seven flights took place with a rocket that had non-working carriers.

This time, the purpose of the tests was to work out the safe separation of the rocket from the aircraft and check all parameters during the acceleration of the rocket to operating speeds.

But the test was canceled after the rocket failed to auto-launch. The plane with a non-working rocket returned to base, where engineers will study what went wrong and will strive to fix the malfunctions.

What is the new rocket

The AGM-183A hypersonic missile was designed and built by Loocheed Martin and is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2022.

So, as conceived by the engineers, the AGM-183A is accelerated with the help of an accelerator to hypersonic speed and then separated from the accelerator casing. Thus, turning into a hypersonic glider, which accelerates to a speed of Mach 20 (23,875 km / h). At the same time, the AGM-183A must hit targets at a distance of up to 1600 km, destroying them with a kinetic impact.

Well, the tests of the American hypersonic missile have so far failed, but work continues, and the rocket's performance is only a matter of time.

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