Hypersonic Sled Traveling at 6,599 mph (Mach 8.6) at the Holloman's High Speed Test Track

Blink and you'll miss this sled traveling at hypersonic speed.

The clip below, shared by Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California, shows a hypersonic sled being tested at the Holloman's High Speed Test Track. The sled was accelerated to 6,599 mph (10,620 kph - that's about 1.8 miles  or 3 km per second) or Mach 8.6. Turn your speaker on to hear the eerie sound of the sled.

The Holloman's High Speed Test Track is 10 miles long, with precision-aligned track that "allows us to bridge the gap between laboratory developmental work and operational use," said Lt. Col. David Dunn of the 846th Test Squadron, "It provides for high-fidelity testing in a more realistic operational environment with better repeatability and high-bandwidth data collection, all at a much lower cost when compared to flight tests."

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