{"id":27074892,"date":"2026-10-07T11:18:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T09:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/x-51a-waverider-scramjet-mach-5-210-seconds-2013\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T11:19:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T09:19:10","slug":"x-51a-waverider-scramjet-mach-5-210-seconds-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/x-51a-waverider-scramjet-mach-5-210-seconds-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"X-51A Waverider: 210 Seconds Above Mach 5 on a Scramjet"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color 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The question the US Air Force asked next was harder: could one keep working for minutes, burning the kind of fuel a real aircraft could carry? On 1 May 2013, over the Pacific, the Boeing X-51A Waverider answered it, flying for 210 seconds on scramjet power and reaching Mach 5.1.<\/p>\n<p>It was the longest air-breathing hypersonic flight on record at the time, and it is the direct ancestor of the hypersonic cruise missiles now entering flight test.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:8px 0 28px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;line-height:1.75\"><li><strong>Vehicle:<\/strong> Boeing X-51A Waverider, unpiloted<\/li><li><strong>Engine:<\/strong> Pratt &amp; Whitney Rocketdyne SJY61 scramjet burning JP-7 jet fuel<\/li><li><strong>Launch:<\/strong> Dropped from a B-52H at about 50,000 ft, boosted by a solid rocket<\/li><li><strong>Record flight:<\/strong> 1 May 2013: Mach 5.1, 210 seconds of powered flight, over 230 nautical miles<\/li><li><strong>Flights:<\/strong> Four vehicles, two successes (May 2010, May 2013)<\/li><li><strong>Programme:<\/strong> 2004 to 2013, about $300 million<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why Hydrocarbon Fuel Was the Big Deal<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/x-43a-hyper-x-nasa-scramjet-mach-9-6-record-2004\/\">X-43A<\/a> burned hydrogen, which ignites easily and burns fast, ideal for a scramjet but awkward to store and handle in an operational aircraft or missile. The X-51A used JP-7, the same kind of hydrocarbon jet fuel that powered the SR-71. Hydrocarbon fuel is denser and practical, but much harder to light and keep burning in a supersonic airstream.<\/p>\n<p>The X-51A&rsquo;s engine solved that partly by using its fuel as coolant. JP-7 flowed through the engine walls before being burned, absorbing heat that would otherwise have damaged the structure. Air Force Research Laboratory managed the programme with DARPA, NASA, Boeing and Pratt &amp; Whitney Rocketdyne.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/x-51a-waverider-usaf-graphic.jpg\" alt=\"US Air Force graphic of the X-51A Waverider\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A US Air Force graphic of the X-51A Waverider. The flat underside rides on its own shock wave, which gives the design its name. US Air Force image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Four Vehicles, Two Successes<\/h2>\n<p>The first flight, on 26 May 2010, was a partial success: the scramjet burned for about 140 seconds, far longer than anything before it, though short of the planned duration. The second, in June 2011, failed when the engine did not transition properly to its main fuel. The third, in August 2012, was lost shortly after separating from its booster when a control fin failed.<\/p>\n<p>That left one vehicle. On 1 May 2013, a B-52H carried it to about 50,000 feet off the California coast and released it. The solid rocket booster pushed the X-51A to about Mach 4.8 in 26 seconds, then fell away. The scramjet lit, the vehicle climbed to 60,000 feet and accelerated to Mach 5.1, and it kept going until it ran out of fuel, after about 240 seconds of engine operation.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;It was a full mission success.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Charlie Brink<\/strong> &mdash; X-51A Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, May 2013<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>The X-51A sent back 370 seconds of data and covered more than 230 nautical miles before plunging into the Pacific over the Point Mugu sea range, as planned. None of the four vehicles was designed to be recovered.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/x-51a-waverider-final-flight-may-2013.jpg\" alt=\"B-52 carrying the X-51A Waverider before its final flight in May 2013\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A B-52 carries the fourth and final X-51A Waverider before its record flight on 1 May 2013. US Air Force photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Bedrock for Hypersonic Weapons<\/h2>\n<p>The X-51A never carried a warhead and was never meant to be a weapon. But its success gave the Air Force confidence that a hydrocarbon-fuelled scramjet could be built small enough for a missile and run long enough to matter. That line of work leads directly to the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hacm-hypersonic-attack-cruise-missile-first-flight-test-australia-2026\/\">Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile<\/a>, whose first flight test was confirmed this week.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;I believe all we have learned from the X-51A Waverider will serve as the bedrock for future hypersonics research and ultimately the practical application of hypersonic flight.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Charlie Brink<\/strong> &mdash; X-51A Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory, May 2013<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>How the X-51A&rsquo;s scramjet works, explained:<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UxwMNWrvttU\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<p>Footage of the X-51A WaveRider scramjet demonstrator:<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XV8AfgbGh5M\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Sources: US Air Force (Wright-Patterson AFB), Space.com, Wikipedia<\/em><\/p>\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>How fast did the X-51A Waverider fly?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The X-51A Waverider reached Mach 5.1 on its final flight on 1 May 2013, flying for 210 seconds on scramjet power at about 60,000 feet.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What fuel did the X-51A Waverider use?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The X-51A Waverider burned JP-7, a hydrocarbon jet fuel, in its Pratt &amp; Whitney Rocketdyne SJY61 scramjet. Earlier scramjets such as NASA\u2019s X-43A burned hydrogen.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How was the X-51A launched?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A B-52H carried the X-51A to about 50,000 feet and released it. A solid rocket booster accelerated it to about Mach 4.8 in 26 seconds before the scramjet took over.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many X-51A flights were successful?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Four X-51A vehicles flew. The first flight in May 2010 and the final flight in May 2013 succeeded; the June 2011 and August 2012 flights failed.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How much did the X-51A programme cost?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The X-51A Waverider programme ran from 2004 to 2013 at a total cost of about $300 million, according to the US Air Force.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why is it called Waverider?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A waverider is a hypersonic design that rides on its own shock wave. The X-51A\u2019s flat underside traps the shock wave beneath it, producing lift at hypersonic speed.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How fast did the X-51A Waverider fly?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The X-51A Waverider reached Mach 5.1 on its final flight on 1 May 2013, flying for 210 seconds on scramjet power at about 60,000 feet.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What fuel did the X-51A Waverider use?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The X-51A Waverider burned JP-7, a hydrocarbon jet fuel, in its Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne SJY61 scramjet. 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The X-51A\u2019s flat underside traps the shock wave beneath it, producing lift at hypersonic speed.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/x-43a-hyper-x-nasa-scramjet-mach-9-6-record-2004\/\">X-43A Hyper-X: NASA\u2019s Scramjet That Hit Mach 9.6 in 2004<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hacm-hypersonic-attack-cruise-missile-first-flight-test-australia-2026\/\">HACM Hypersonic Missile Flies for the First Time Over Australia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On 1 May 2013 the X-51A Waverider flew for 210 seconds at up to Mach 5.1 on a jet-fuel scramjet, paving the way for today\u2019s hypersonic missiles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":27074600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27074892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>X-51A Waverider: 210 Seconds at Mach 5 | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The X-51A Waverider flew 210 seconds at up to Mach 5.1 on a jet-fuel scramjet in May 2013. 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