Space Engine Systems"SEXBOMB" Hypersonic Demonstrator

[X-39]

LOL. Looks like this company didn't shy away from getting a bit creative with the naming scheme, because of course a drone that proudly displays a "SEXBOMB" livery traveling at hypersonic speeds while the surface temperature of its skin raises sounds sexy

Sexbomb Turbo-Ramjet Hypersonic Drone Leaves North America to Be Tested Elsewhere​

8 Nov 2022, 09:19 UTC ·
By Daniel Patrascu


The space exploration industry is so diverse these days in terms of technologies being tested that it’s impossible to tell which of them will mature into the ones to make our species a truly multiplanetary one.

One of the projects we’re rooting for is that of spaceplanes being cooked in the laboratories of a company called Space Engine Systems. That would be the Hello-1 (suborbital cargo and crew transporter), and Hello-2 (suborbital and low lunar orbit plane), both capable of making trips to space for as little as $300 per kg.

We’re a long way from that moment, though, as Space Engine Systems is only at the stage when it’s getting ready to test a demonstrator for the spaceplanes. In effect a drone named Sexbomb, it’s meant to prove the capabilities of a turbo-ramjet engine dubbed DASS GNX.

The DASS GNX is a turbo-ramjet meant to kick in as an after-burning turbojet at speeds of between zero and Mach 3. When the drone passes past the Mach 3 mark, it behaves like a ramjet, delivering 20,000 lbf of thrust.

Although a definitive test flight for the Sexbomb was never announced, we did know the company planned to test the drone over the Canadian province of Manitoba. This week, a change of plans was announced, with the test flight now to take place at Cornwall Spaceport in the UK. The date for it still hasn’t been announced, but we are told an upgrade for the DASS GNX is in the pipeline.

The initial plan for the Canada test flight called for a stratospheric balloon to lift the Sexbomb to 33.5 km (110,000 ft), from where it would have dropped until it reached speeds of Mach 1.8. Once there, the engine would have ignited, shooting the thing to Mach 5 for about 300 seconds. After the burn had been completed, the drone would have glided down to its home base.

Space Engine Systems did not say if the change of location is accompanied by a change of procedure as well.

Sexbomb Turbo-Ramjet Hypersonic Drone Leaves North America to Be Tested Elsewhere

Space Engine Systems announced this week it will no longer be running the first test of the Sexbomb demonstrator over Canada, moves to UK

www.autoevolution.com

 

[Archibald]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ32gSLNHfA


What a name, really.

They need a Tom Jones pilot.

 

[publiusr]

That sounds like something us Yanks would come up with..For shame!

 

[X-39]

How sad is that we live in a time where you can't have some fun without someone getting "offended":

SES previously announced plans to develop an uncrewed demonstrator vehicle called the Sexbomb, which could function as a hypersonic munition.

The first Sexbomb vehicle has been partially completed, but the project will move forward only if the company receives external financing from a defense company or government agency,

the “Sexbomb” branding, which is based on combining the first two initials of the company’s name will be dropped in the future

“Some people don’t like [the name],” “Maybe some people took offense.”

Canadian Firm Built Hypersonic Vehicle, Scraps 'Sexbomb' Name | Aviation Week Network

The crewed Hello-1X could be ready to fly next year to validate technologies for reusable orbital and lunar delivery vehicles.

aviationweek.com

 

[Nahida1645]

LOL. Looks like this company didn't shy away from getting a bit creative with the naming scheme, because of course a drone that proudly displays a "SEXBOMB" livery traveling at hypersonic speeds while the surface temperature of its skin raises sounds sexy

Sexbomb Turbo-Ramjet Hypersonic Drone Leaves North America to Be Tested Elsewhere​

8 Nov 2022, 09:19 UTC ·
By Daniel Patrascu


The space exploration industry is so diverse these days in terms of technologies being tested that it’s impossible to tell which of them will mature into the ones to make our species a truly multiplanetary one.

One of the projects we’re rooting for is that of spaceplanes being cooked in the laboratories of a company called Space Engine Systems. That would be the Hello-1 (suborbital cargo and crew transporter), and Hello-2 (suborbital and low lunar orbit plane), both capable of making trips to space for as little as $300 per kg.

We’re a long way from that moment, though, as Space Engine Systems is only at the stage when it’s getting ready to test a demonstrator for the spaceplanes. In effect a drone named Sexbomb, it’s meant to prove the capabilities of a turbo-ramjet engine dubbed DASS GNX.

The DASS GNX is a turbo-ramjet meant to kick in as an after-burning turbojet at speeds of between zero and Mach 3. When the drone passes past the Mach 3 mark, it behaves like a ramjet, delivering 20,000 lbf of thrust.

Although a definitive test flight for the Sexbomb was never announced, we did know the company planned to test the drone over the Canadian province of Manitoba. This week, a change of plans was announced, with the test flight now to take place at Cornwall Spaceport in the UK. The date for it still hasn’t been announced, but we are told an upgrade for the DASS GNX is in the pipeline.

The initial plan for the Canada test flight called for a stratospheric balloon to lift the Sexbomb to 33.5 km (110,000 ft), from where it would have dropped until it reached speeds of Mach 1.8. Once there, the engine would have ignited, shooting the thing to Mach 5 for about 300 seconds. After the burn had been completed, the drone would have glided down to its home base.

Space Engine Systems did not say if the change of location is accompanied by a change of procedure as well.

Sexbomb Turbo-Ramjet Hypersonic Drone Leaves North America to Be Tested Elsewhere

Space Engine Systems announced this week it will no longer be running the first test of the Sexbomb demonstrator over Canada, moves to UK

www.autoevolution.com

The design literally looks sexy.

The initial plan for the Canada test flight called for a stratospheric balloon to lift the Sexbomb to 33.5 km (110,000 ft), from where it would have dropped until it reached speeds of Mach 1.8.

Anyways, the initial concept of a balloon carrying the aircraft takes back to the use with sounding rockets, probably for fuel efficiency?

 

[Nik]

"... initial concept of a balloon carrying the aircraft "
Fewer failure modes, cheaper than hiring the Roc etc etc...
Also, IIRC, NASA tested their Mars mini-helo thus...
snark:
Provided the balloon & payload do not escape, are shot down by twitchy countries or salvaged by Chinese...
/

 

[Nahida1645]

"... initial concept of a balloon carrying the aircraft "
Fewer failure modes, cheaper than hiring the Roc etc etc...
Also, IIRC, NASA tested their Mars mini-helo thus...
snark:
Provided the balloon & payload do not escape, are shot down by twitchy countries or salvaged by Chinese...
/

...or being swept by the winds or being shot by an AIM-9X