The Chinese Academy of Sciences launched a research programme on Monday to study low-altitude hypersonic flight technology.
The programme is funded under the Stable Support Programme for Basic Research Youth Teams. It is led by the Institute of Mechanics in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology of China and the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering.
Researchers will examine challenges including extreme aerodynamic heating, severe drag, complex shock-wave interactions and guidance systems operating through electromagnetic disturbances.
China has already deployed various hypersonic weapons. These systems rely on high-altitude boost-glide trajectories or high-altitude cruise flight.