[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 133 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2069-E2070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ON THE SUCCESS OF THE X-43A

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2004

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the men and 
women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dryden 
Flight Research Center and Langley Research Center for the record-
breaking flight of the X-43A research vehicle on November 16, 2004. 
During the flight, the scramjet-powered X-43A flew successfully at 
record speed approaching Mach 10, almost ten times the speed of sound, 
as it raced across the sky above the Pacific Ocean. The Dryden Flight 
Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, where the mission 
originated, is in my district. Earlier this year I visited Dryden and 
met with the men and women involved in the program and I share their 
excitement about this successful flight.
  Supersonic combustion ramjets, or scramjets, offer safer and more 
affordable options for high-speed flights, as well as more airplane-
like operations, than traditional rocket powered vehicles. Much of the 
information scientists have about scramjets has come from computer-
generated models. The goal of this program was to provide actual flight 
data for a scramjet engine.
  This was the third and final flight of NASA's Hyper-X Program to 
explore alternative power sources for space access vehicles. It was 
also the fastest flight, breaking the record of the second flight, 
which reached speeds near Mach 7. The Guinness Book of World Records 
named the X-43A the fastest air-breathing aircraft when it reached 
speeds of over 5,000 MPH during the March 27, 2004 flight. Only eight 
months later, the Guinness World Record book needs revising already; 
the X-43A is still the fastest, but now it has flown almost 7,000 MPH.
  The X-43A took off from Edwards attached to a B-52 bomber. This was 
the last research flight for the B-52, which has been used successfully 
for many historic research efforts at Dryden. At around 2:30 PM local 
time, the X-

[[Page E2070]]

43A detached from its booster at 110,000 feet to fly on its own. The 
12-foot long vehicle streaked through the sky, reaching speeds of Mach 
9.8. After its short flight, the X-43A splashed into the Pacific Ocean, 
triumphantly completing the eight-year program.
  The $230 million Hyper-X program pushed the envelope, as no air-
breathing scramjet engine had been previously flown at hypersonic 
speeds, but the rewards are evident. The important discoveries made by 
these flights will lead to advances in both space exploration and 
commercial aviation. We all honor the success of the program and 
encourage more research into this valuable technology. It is vital that 
the first `A' in NASA--Aeronautics--remain a strong and vibrant part of 
the 
agency.

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