THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- August 30, 2016- Topic 2

ISRO’s scramjet on course

The Indian Space Research Organisation joined an ELITE club when, on Sunday, it successfully launched a rocket using a scramjet engine that was developed INDIGENOUSLY. This is ISRO’s first major step towards developing an air breathing propulsion system. The scramjet engine functioned for around six seconds.
There are many reasons why the use of a scramjet engine is so ATTRACTIVE. A scramjet engine uses oxygen present in the atmospheric air to burn the hydrogen fuel. As a result, the amount of oxygen required to be carried on board would be REDUCED considerably as atmospheric oxygen is utilised to burn the fuel in the first stage. In general, PROPELLANT accounts for nearly 85 per cent of the weight of a rocket, and oxygen accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the weight of the propellant. Scramjet-powered rockets also have several times greater THRUST compared with rockets powered by liquid fuel or even CRYOGENIC fuel. Since about half of the propellant is required for the first stage to achieve the required velocity, a rocket using a scramjet engine would be significantly lighter and smaller and, therefore, cheaper. Alternatively, rockets fired by scramjet engines will be able to carry more PAYLOAD.

Sunday’s test flight, which attained six times the speed of sound (Mach 6) and was able to achieve IGNITION and maintain stable COMBUSTION even at such high velocity for about six seconds, is a big technological achievement. This is AKIN to “lighting a matchstick in a hurricane condition and sustaining the FLAME” for six seconds. The air intake mechanism and fuel injection systems were also successfully DEMONSTRATED during the maiden test flight. Since it RELIES on oxygen present in the atmosphere, the TRAJECTORIES of scramjet engine-powered rockets are vastly different from conventional ones — rockets with scramjet engines should remain in the atmosphere for a longer period than normal rockets. Typically, scramjet rockets climb to a certain altitude and remain in the atmosphere for as long as possible to achieve the required velocity. It will take many years before a commercial rocket powered by a scramjet engine takes to the sky as there are several challenges to be overcome. One challenge will be to test the engine at higher Mach speeds and prolong the period of combustion. Since the scramjet comes into play only when the rocket goes beyond Mach 5, an engine that initially works at subsonic speed (as a ramjet) and later as a scramjet has to be developed. But as in the case of the successful test flight of a reusable vehicle, the first experimental flight using a scramjet engine is a technological DEMONSTRATION of ISRO’s capability and will go a long way in REDEFINING its position as one of the leading space agencies in the world.

:::::::::::::Meanings:::::::::::

Elite: a select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms of ability or qualities.

Example: The elite of Britain's armed forces

synonyms: best, pick, cream, crème de la crème, flower, nonpareil, elect, high society

Indigenously: originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native.

Example: the indigenous peoples of Siberia

synonyms: native, original, aboriginal, autochthonous, local, domestic, homegrown, earliest

Attractive: (of a thing) pleasing or appealing to the senses.

Example: an attractive home

synonyms: as pretty as a picture

Reduced: make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

Example: the need for businesses to reduce costs

synonyms: lessen, lower, bring down, decrease, diminish, minimize

Propellant: a thing or substance that causes something to move or be driven forward or outward, in particular.

Example: Liquid helium from a tank in the lunar module was used to assure a steady flow of propellants to the descent engine.

synonyms: dynamical, propulsive

Thrust: the propulsive force of a jet or rocket engine.

Example: After liftoff, at nearly 100 percent of rated thrust , the engine throttles back momentarily.

synonyms: force, propulsive force, propulsion, power, impetus, momentum

Payload: the part of a vehicle's load, especially an aircraft's, from which revenue is derived; passengers and cargo.

Example: The airplane will usually be carrying a payload (passengers, cargo, weapons) and often a full load of fuel.

Ignition: the action of setting something on fire or starting to burn.

Example: three minutes after ignition, the flames were still growing

synonyms: light · burn · light up · enkindle · inflame · combust

Combustion: the process of burning something.

Example: the combustion of fossil fuels

synonyms: burning, kindling, ignition

Akin: of similar character.

Example: something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her

synonyms: similar, related, close, near, corresponding, comparable, equivalent, connected

Flame: a hot glowing body of ignited gas that is generated by something on fire.

Example: the flame of a candle

synonyms: fire, blaze, conflagration, inferno

Demonstrated: clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence.

Example: their shameful silence demonstrates their ineptitude

synonyms: reveal, bespeak, indicate, signify, signal, denote, show, display, exhibit

Relies: depend on with full trust or confidence.

Example: I know I can rely on your discretion

synonyms: depend on, count on, bank on, place reliance on, reckon on, be confident of

Trajectories: the path followed by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces.

Example: the missile's trajectory was preset

synonyms: course, path, route, track, line, orbit

Demonstration: the action or process of showing the existence or truth of something by giving proof or evidence.

Example: it is not capable of mathematical demonstration

synonyms: proof, substantiation, confirmation, affirmation, corroboration, verification

Redefining: define again or differently.

Example: her attempt to redefine postmodernism along more political and sociocultural lines

synonyms: delineate · delimit · delimitate · specify