@interestingengineering

Rocket scientists in China are working to develop a boron-powered supersonic missile that can fly like a commercial airliner and then swim in the water to act as a torpedo. The range and speed of the missile are expected to be much larger than any torpedo developed so far.⁠ ⁠ Boron is a highly reactive light element that reacts equally well with water as it does with air to release vast amounts of heat. The U.S. Air Force experimented with boron in the 1950s to increase the power of its supersonic bombers. However, the project was shelved since ignited boron is hard to control and also forms a layer of debris that impacts rocket performance. ⁠ ⁠ Find out more at the link in bio.🚀⁠ #engineering #interestingengineering⁠ ⁠ #science #research #beijing #space #scientist #asia