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Australia’s first attempt at scramjet flight has failed. After a perfect
launch at Woomera last week, a second-stage rocket carrying the scramjet payload
crashed about 100 kilometres from the launch site—well short of the
intended range of 370 kilometres. A search for the wreckage has now been
abandoned. Scramjets have the potential to power the world’s fastest planes, but
the failure will delay a second Australian launch planned this week and a
proposed scramjet test by Britain.