DeltaV displayed its ramjet tesbed that achieved the first ramjet-powered test flight in Türkiye and HİSTEP hybrid fuel hypersonic testbed at SAHA EXPO 2026.
DeltaV’s ramjet testbed and HİSTEP, powered by hybrid fuel with the goal of testing hypersonic flight, have made their appearance at the SAHA EXPO 2026 exhibition, which was held between 5-9 May.
Ramjet Testbed
The ramjet test platform, which became the first ramjet-powered subject in Türkiye to be launched from the surface, was shown with its specifications. The solid fuel ramjet-powered prototype can reach speeds between Mach 2.5 and Mach 3 and a range of 150 km.
Ramjet is fed through a bi-angle conical shock intake, which receives a cleaner airflow compared to side-mounted intakes and is overall simpler in layout.
The ramjet testbed can be expected to pave the way for more advanced airbreathing propulsion technologies (Such as scramjets allowing sustained hypersonic flight) or applied products.
HİSTEP
HİSTEP, or Hypersonic Test Platform, is a two-stage hypersonic testbed using hybrid fuel rocket engines to provide throttleable propulsion. Measuring 610 mm in diameter and 11.3 m in length, HİSTEP has a first stage booster using Parafine+LOX engine and a smaller stage using Parafine+N2O engine. The test platform can reach speeds in excess of Mach 5 and altitudes above 200 km.
The difference in the use of oxidisers for the two stages can be explained by the conditions they operate in. LOX provides higher specific impulse (an important metric of thrust efficiency) but has to be cryogenically stored. At the same time, N2O is non-cryogenic (It needs no special storing needs due to existing as a liquid at room conditions), self-pressurising (Little to no need for pumping), but has less specific impulse. However, due to the significant reduction in drag at higher altitudes and no drag at space, the losses in specific impulse are outweighed by the N2O oxidiser’s gains.
The second stage also features hot staging, which allows flexibility in terms of trajectory as the booster does not have to spend its fuel.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor: Özgür Ekşi
