Watch | China breaks speed barriers with revolutionary rocket sled

In a groundbreaking achievement, China has reportedly set a new speed record with its state-of-the-art dual-track rocket sled.

Videos of the advanced technology rocket sled are going viral on social media platforms, including X.

This cutting-edge equipment can support testing in the fields of aviation, aerospace, and weaponry and China, as per reports, is one of only five countries worldwide to possess the technology.

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China's rocket sled

The dual-track rocket sled system is the first of its kind in Asia, reports People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

As per the publication, it can accelerate an 8-ton object to supersonic speeds within just five seconds.

In a historic moment for China, a new aircraft prototype recently soared down the 6-kilometer-long rocket sled track, hitting a speed of Mach 2.28, or approximately 2,800 kilometres per hour.

Watch videos of the astonishing rocket sled here:

What is a rocket sled?

A rocket sled is a device used to test high-speed transportation systems or to simulate extreme conditions like those found in rocket or spacecraft launches. It is essentially a sled-like platform that is propelled by rockets along a track, reaching very high speeds in a short amount of time.

As per Sandia National Laboratories, it “provides a controlled environment for high-velocity impact, aerodynamic, acceleration, and other related testing for both small and large test items.”

(With inputs from agencies)