Ramjet Engine for Mach 5 Hypersonic Aircraft Tested in Japan
May 24th, 2026Via: Interesting Engineering:
Japan has completed a ground combustion test of a ramjet engine designed for a Mach 5-class experimental aircraft, advancing the country’s ambitions in hypersonic transportation and reusable spaceflight research.
The test was carried out by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency alongside Waseda University, The University of Tokyo, and Keio University as part of a collaborative research program focused on integrated airframe and propulsion control for hypersonic vehicles.
Researchers installed the experimental aircraft inside a ramjet engine testing facility at JAXA’s Kakuda Space Center in Miyagi Prefecture, where they simulated flight conditions at Mach 5 – roughly five times the speed of sound.
The test validated the aircraft’s thermal protection system, control surfaces, and ramjet combustion performance under extreme hypersonic conditions.
