ramjet
Motion-compressed flight engine
A ramjet is a type of jet engine that uses the aircraft's forward motion to compress incoming air, rather than relying on mechanical compressors.
This simple design—essentially a shaped tube with a fuel injection system—works only when the vehicle is already moving at high speed, so ramjets cannot operate from a standstill and must be launched by another propulsion method.
They are used primarily in missiles and high-speed military aircraft where sustained supersonic flight is required.
Exothermic reaction with oxygen
- inletWater extending into land
- nozzleFlow-directing pipe fitting
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- thrustForceful forward motion
fuel · intake · exhaust · afterburner · burner · stator · diffuser · ignition
Exceeding audio velocity
- hypersonicFaster than Mach five
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- aircraftAirborne transportation vehicle
- machAirspeed-to-soundspeed ratio
flight · atmosphere · aviation · aerodynamics · stratosphere · cruise · altitude · trajectory
combustion
Exothermic reaction with oxygen
- inletWater extending into land
- nozzleFlow-directing pipe fitting
- compressionForcing into smaller space
thrust · fuel · intake · exhaust · afterburner · burner · stator · diffuser · ignition · thermodynamics
supersonic
Exceeding audio velocity
- hypersonicFaster than Mach five
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- aircraftAirborne transportation vehicle
mach · flight · atmosphere · aviation · aerodynamics · stratosphere · cruise · altitude · trajectory · payload
velocity
Directed rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- thrustForceful forward motion
- dragResistance through fluid
momentum · kinetic · transonic · inertia · shockwave · pressure · temperature · density · mach · doppler
- aerospaceairplane, helicopter, rocket, rockets, spacecraft
- enginesdiesel engine, gasoline engine, car engine, truck engine, piston engine
- propulsionrocket, thrusting, jets, rockets, launching
- Space Propulsionhyperdrive, warp drive, jump drive, rocket engine, nuclear propulsion
- turbomachineryturbine, steam turbine, gas turbine, wind turbine, water turbine
- jet enginesturbofan, fanjet, afterburner, turboprop, turboshaft
ramjetrocket engine
Aerospace thrust generator
turbojet · turbofan · piston engine · rocket · turboprop