At Kennedy Space Center this September, GE Aerospace quietly made history. Their ATLAS Flight Test Vehicle, powered by a solid-fueled ramjet, hit supersonic speeds during a series of captive carry flights. That means the engine wasn’t fired yet—but it was flown, bolted to a Starfighters F-104 jet, to test how it behaves in real-world conditions. And for a technology that could one day push aircraft past Mach 5, this was a crucial first step.

GE Aerospace just took a major leap toward the future of flight—and it could change everything from global travel to national defense.
Ge Aerospace 

Let’s pause for a second. A ramjet is a jet engine with no moving parts. No fans, no turbines—just a hollow tube that uses sheer speed to compress incoming air, mix it with fuel, and ignite. It’s like lighting a fire in a wind tunnel and using that wind to keep it roaring. GE’s twist? They’ve lined the inside of the engine with a solid hydrocarbon fuel that burns layer by layer as air rushes through. No liquid fuel. No onboard oxygen. Just speed, simplicity, and serious efficiency.

“This marks a pivotal moment for GE Aerospace as we showcase our solid fuel ramjet technology in flight for the first time,” said Mark Rettig, vice president and general manager of Edison Works Business & Technology Development at GE Aerospace. That’s not just corporate pride—it’s a signal that this tech is moving from lab theory to sky-tested reality.

Why does this matter now? Because hypersonic flight—defined as speeds above Mach 5—isn’t just a sci-fi dream anymore. It’s a race. Militaries around the world are chasing it for missiles that can outrun defenses. Airlines are eyeing it for flights that could cross continents in hours, not days. And GE’s solid-fueled ramjet could be the engine that powers that revolution.

The ATLAS program is backed by the U.S. Department of War under Title III of the Defense Production Act, which means it’s not just experimental—it’s strategic. These tests are designed to validate how solid fuel ramjets perform in flight, offering insights into systems that need speed, range, and responsiveness. Think of it as laying the groundwork for faster, farther, smarter aerial vehicles.

And GE isn’t stopping here. Since acquiring Innoveering in 2022, they’ve been expanding their hypersonics portfolio. They’ve upgraded test facilities in Ohio and New York to simulate higher Mach conditions—because wind tunnels alone can’t replicate the heat, vibration, and stress of real flight. That’s why these captive carry tests are so important. They let engineers study how the engine behaves in the sky, without lighting it up just yet.

For now, ignition will wait for future free-flight tests. But even without firing, the data gathered is gold. It’s helping engineers refine designs, predict performance, and prepare for the next phase—when the ramjet actually roars to life mid-air.

So what should we watch for next? Keep an eye on GE’s next round of tests, especially when they move from captive carry to powered flight. That’s when we’ll see whether this sleek, silent tube can truly deliver hypersonic thrust. And if it does, it won’t just be a win for aerospace—it’ll be a turning point for how we move, defend, and connect across the planet.