The world's first integrated supersonic commercial propulsion module. A single engine unit spanning the full side fuselage — transitioning seamlessly from subsonic turbofan operation to plasma-assisted Mach 4+ scramjet acceleration, with a closed thermodynamic loop that converts exhaust waste heat into preheated cryogenic fuel.
Each Starscrammer unit is a self-contained nacelle long enough to span the aircraft's full side fuselage. The body–engine–wing sandwich assembly allows each module to be manufactured, installed, and replaced independently — without disturbing airframe structure.
Fan stages and compressor rings ride the canal walls on magnetic bearings — no central shaft, no flow obstruction. At subsonic speeds, rings spin and blades bite air normally. At transonic transition, variable-pitch actuators feather all blades flush against the wall in under 200ms. Residual blade curvature acts as passive flow-straightening vanes — conditioning inlet air before it reaches the ramjet section.
Subsonic / transonicHigh-temperature vapor chambers embedded along the canal walls absorb heat from the rear combustion zone. Insulated central channel prevents premature evaporation mid-run. Condensate vapor travels forward, shedding heat through the folded turbofan blade fins — a perfect heat-exchange surface at sonic airspeeds. Residual condensate empties directly into LH₂ fuel lines, completing the thermodynamic loop.
Thermal managementZero moving parts. Magnetohydrodynamic inlet conditioning replaces all variable-geometry hardware — electromagnetic fields shape, decelerate, and ionize incoming supersonic air with no mechanical actuation. Plasma-assisted combustion stabilizes the flame front at speeds where physical flameholders would disintegrate. AJAX-class MHD energy bypass extracts energy from inlet air, slows it to combustible velocities, then reinjects that energy electromagnetically post-combustion.
Mach 0.8 → 4+The Starscrammer operates a fully self-contained thermal cycle — waste heat from the scramjet combustor is captured, transported, exchanged, and converted into preheated propellant. Nothing is vented or wasted.
Heat-synced wall panels along the rear combustion zone absorb extreme thermal output. Panels connect to embedded high-temperature vapor chambers (sodium or water/ammonia formulation).
Evaporated working fluid travels forward through insulated central tubes. Insulation prevents the canal's ambient heat from interfering with mid-run fluid state — only the endpoints exchange heat.
Uncapped tube ends discharge into the folded turbofan stage zone, where blade fin surfaces and sonic airspeed fully condense all remaining vapor back to liquid. No capping needed — sonic flow completes condensation.
Condensate that hasn't fully turned liquid is routed into LH₂ fuel lines — simultaneously cooling residual vapor and preheating cryogenic propellant for improved scramjet combustion efficiency. Liquid wicks back to the rear, repeating the cycle.
Traditional variable-geometry inlets (intake ramps, mixed-compression spikes) are mechanically fragile at extreme Mach numbers and add enormous weight. The Starscrammer replaces every moving aerodynamic surface in the scramjet zone with electromagnetic equivalents.
At Mach 2+, incoming air partially ionizes. Magnetic fields reshape the effective inlet geometry without physical ramps — slowing, compressing, and aligning airflow for clean combustion entry. No actuators. No failure modes.
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators maintain combustion stability at speeds where conventional flameholders would fail catastrophically. Plasma torch arrays provide continuous ignition authority across the full operating Mach range.
Inspired by Russian AJAX research: MHD energy extraction at the inlet slows air to combustible velocities, storing that energy electromagnetically. Post-combustion, the stored energy is reinjected — recovering kinetic energy that would otherwise be wasted as drag.
The Starscrammer is designed for the modular airframe architecture of NewGen's B2-silhouette platform. Each element manufactures, ships, and certifies independently. On the flight line, the engine slides into the side fuselage slot — the wing clamps over, its structural spars threading through keyed channels in the engine frame, locking all three into a single load path.
Fuselage structure, pressurized cabin, avionics bay. Side fuselage slot pre-formed to Starscrammer module profile. Compatible attachment geometry is fixed — any engine generation fits any body generation.
Complete Starscrammer propulsion module. Slides into side fuselage slot along longitudinal axis. Self-contained thermal loop, fuel system, and MHD power bus. Full module swap in under 4 hours on-line.
Blended wing–body panel. Attachment spars thread through keyed spar channels in the engine module frame, simultaneously locking the engine in place and completing the primary load path for all three modules.