UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Major breakthrough in Hypersonic Missile development: DRDO conducts extensive long-duration test of Actively Cooled Full Scale Scramjet Combustor

Q1. Which one of the following DRDO laboratories designed and developed the Actively Cooled Full Scale Scramjet Combustor that was ground-tested for over 1,200 seconds in May 2026?

• A. Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad
• B. Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
• C. Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior
• D. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune

Q2. With reference to air-breathing jet propulsion, consider the following statements: Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?

1. A turbojet uses a mechanical compressor driven by a turbine, whereas a ramjet relies on ram compression by its forward motion.
2. Both ramjet and scramjet engines use atmospheric oxygen as the oxidiser and have no rotating compressor.
3. In a scramjet engine, the incoming supersonic air is decelerated to subsonic speeds inside the combustor before fuel is burnt.
4. A scramjet-powered vehicle can take off from a standstill on its own thrust without any rocket-assisted boost.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 3 and 4 only
• C. 1, 3 and 4
• D. 2 only

Q3. With reference to how a scramjet engine differs from a conventional ramjet and a turbojet, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Unlike a ramjet, a scramjet sustains combustion while the airflow inside the combustor remains supersonic.
2. Unlike ramjets, scramjets carry their own oxidiser on board and therefore do not depend on atmospheric oxygen.
3. Unlike turbojets, both ramjets and scramjets operate without any rotating compressor or turbine.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. With the inauguration of the Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility at the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad, India became which one of the following — in terms of order — to possess such a large hypersonic wind tunnel facility of this size and operating capability?

• A. Second country in the world
• B. Third country in the world
• C. Fourth country in the world
• D. Fifth country in the world

Q5. The Actively Cooled Full Scale Scramjet Combustor, ground-tested for over 1,200 seconds in May 2026 at the Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility, Hyderabad, was developed by which one of the following DRDO laboratories?

• A. Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL)
• B. Research Centre Imarat (RCI)
• C. Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL)
• D. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL)

Q6. With reference to DRDO's missile development infrastructure, which one of the following BEST describes the primary mandate of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad?

• A. Design and development of avionics systems, including on-board computers and seekers, for missiles and guided weapons
• B. Development of high-performance solid propulsion systems, aerospace mechanisms and advanced composite structures for missile programmes
• C. Design and development of underwater-launched missiles and surface-to-air missile systems for the Armed Forces
• D. Establishment and operation of hypersonic wind tunnel and aerodynamic ground-test facilities for air-breathing propulsion

Q7. Consider the following pairings of hypersonic weapon systems with the country that has developed them. Which of the pairs given above is/are NOT correctly matched?

1. Avangard — Russia
2. DF-ZF — China
3. Tsirkon (Zircon) — Russia
4. Kinzhal — United States of America

• A. 4 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 3 and 4 only

Q8. Which one of the following is the indigenously developed fuel used in DRDO's Actively Cooled Full-Scale Scramjet Combustor for the Hypersonic Cruise Missile programme?

• A. Liquid hydrogen (LH2)
• B. Liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel
• C. Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH)
• D. Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant

Q9. The Actively Cooled Full-Scale Scramjet Combustor recently ground-tested for over 1,200 seconds has been developed under which one of the following DRDO laboratories?

• A. Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad
• B. Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
• C. Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad
• D. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune

Q10. India's Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility, capable of simulating Mach 5 to 12 hypersonic flow, is located at which one of the following DRDO establishments?

• A. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad
• B. Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru
• C. Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh
• D. Solid State Physics Laboratory, Delhi

Q11. In which year was India's advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility — making India the third country after the USA and Russia to possess such a facility — inaugurated?

• A. 2018
• B. 2019
• C. 2020
• D. 2022